Cyclone
by Duckypantz
Summary: What if they finally gave in to one another and said yes? Will they or won't they? A case hits too close to home, but will it bring our beloved duo closer together, or push them apart?
1. If You Let Me

Chapter One: If You Let Me

Author: Duckypantz

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, maybe a Starbucks card with about $20...oh and a puppy, maybe a pair of shoes or two. No way could I own the show _Bones_ or its characters. Any characters that are not from the show in the story are my creations and free for me to own :).

**Author's Note: **Hi people! This is my first Bones fanfic! Let's hope it's a good one. Happy reading!

* * *

Temperance Brennan studied her computer so intently that she did not hear anything her assistant Zack Addy was saying. She was looking at the draft of her latest book on the computer the same way she looked at evidence under a microscope, very unusual for Brennan and her writing. She wrote for entertainment and it turned out she was good at it too. But this draft was irking her for some reason. Something was off with this draft. She couldn't pinpoint where it was off but something was different.

Brennan left off right at Chapter 4 on her second reading before she left last night and she had been confident with her work. Now something made her wary. _It's like those "hunches" Booth always had. Why would they partner me up with him anyway? He and I have almost nothing in common and he is just so frustrating. I am not having the hair on the back of my neck stand up nor is there any gut feeling about what is wrong with this section. The grammar must be horrendous and it's giving me a stomach ache thinking about all the corrections. But the only problem with that hypothesis is that there aren't any mistakes. It just doesn't seem like I wrote this. But I obviously did since it's here in the chapter and no one can get in here onto this computer._

Tempe had a deadline for the first draft of her latest novel. Since she was more than your average perfectionist, she had to go over the draft so closely that it took the editor at least five read-throughs to find even one error, if there were any. Work at the Jeffersonian had been rather slow so she had time to work on her book without burning the candle at both ends, not that she would have understood the expression anyway. She actually hadn't seen her partner, a one Seeley Booth, in almost one week. She was wondering if he'd been reassigned to another part of the FBI. _Could an FBI agent be MIA or is that too many acronyms? I definitely need to use that one on someone. And they think I don't know pop culture stuff. _

Ever since both his and her superiors had put them on that first case, there have been many more cases, which made them work together on almost a daily basis. The partnership was beneficial for both the FBI and the Jeffersonian because the FBI got a group of the best forensic scientists in the world who would work day and night to solve a case. The Jeffersonian Institute got much more recognition for solving current cases, not just cold and ancient cases, which translates into more frequent donations for even better equipment and FBI protection if the cases got too hot.

Tempe did not want to like her partner at first. He was a little too arrogant and everything she believed an FBI agent to be. He was so sarcastic which was frustrating for Tempe because more than half the time she didn't pick up on it and felt like a fool when he would explain it to her. But after a few years as partners, she was slowly learning and picking up on colloquial phrases that she was too busy to learn when she was trying to get her doctorate in forensic anthropology as quickly as possible.

Grudgingly Tempe admitted to herself that she was learning a lot from her partnership about herself. Even though she was learning, she never ever would admit it to him because he would hold it over her head for the rest of both of their lives. He was such an arrogant ass. But he's a good ass, not having a good ass, not that she knew because she never noticed it, but that's not the point. The point is that he has her back and she trusts him enough to let him guard her back, which is no small feat. Tempe won't let anyone get close and her partner Booth, along with her friend and coworker Angela are the only two people she has let in past some of her walls.

All this thinking about Booth and their partnership seemed off topic with Tempe re-reading her manuscript but actually it mirrored her characters and their relationship. She brought in a male character into her books after she and Booth became partners because it added another level to the story that made things much more interesting on a personal level than just a scientific one. The main character was based off of Brennan's own experiences in the lab with cases, but her personally life was much more lively than the author's.

Tempe almost lived vicariously through her protagonist's exciting life inside and outside of the lab. She had intrigue personally and professionally. _I would love her life but seriously, I would be exhausted one week into it. I could not work that much and play like there is no tomorrow. Lord her sex life is more in one month on one case than I have ever had. Maybe I am channeling Angela in that part of the protagonist._ That thought made her smile. She hadn't caught up with Angela in a while. They saw each other every day at work, but still needed that personal connection to talk about life outside of the lab once in a while. But Angela's personal and private lives were starting to collide in the lab. _Maybe I should mix business with pleasure in my book and have her get involved with someone on the case...hmmmm._

Even with new ideas brewing, Tempe was debating about ones already written in this newest book. She had written it two different ways because she wasn't sure if she wanted to take this new route in her writing. With this new avenue she would have to really dig deep and focus more on the interpersonal relationships between the characters, which not only did not necessarily have to do with sex, it also scared her a little bit. She would have to research and learn more of those colloquial phrases that Hodgins, Angela and Booth use all the time so she could make her characters sound more human.

Or she could just use the second version and not have the personal relationships. She needed someone else's opinion who wasn't her editor. _Maybe I'll ask Booth to read it. While he does tease me all the time he would give me an honest and straight-forward answer_. For all the teasing and hard time that Booth gave her, Brennan trusted him implicitly. Luckily the more personal aspect of the novel didn't directly come from real life or else she would never ever let Booth read her book. There wasn't any romance but a hint of a more personal relationship between the forensic anthropologist and coroner she frequently worked with.

There was a FBI agent partner but he played a minor role. She didn't want to boost Booth's ego too much by giving him a bigger role because he was obviously based on Booth because he was the only FBI agent she really knew. But there would be no romance with the partner, just like real life. If she ever made a hint of romance between the FBI agent and the scientist, Booth would read way too much into it and either act weird or an even bigger head about how he is not only amazing but irresistible to women as well. She laughed out loud at Booth with his chest all puffed out strutting around like the big rooster of the pen.

Even as the silly idea of Booth as a rooster made her giggle, she was still confused about what was so off in the book that caused warning bells to go off in her head. Last night, when she had read it the first time she felt confident that there were hardly any mistakes and that it was a good story. As she was trying to pinpoint where the story seemed off, Zack Addy, her assistant interrupted her, placing the manila folder on her keyboard asking "Dr. Brennan? What was so funny? And did you hear me?"

When Brennan shook her head no, Zack continued, "I was just summarizing my findings on the most recent back case we had about those unidentified soldiers from World War I. I wasn't sure how much autonomy you were willing to let me have. Have I overstepped my bounds?"

Tempe shook her head, "No Zack. The whole reason you became my assistant and then received a permanent job here was so that you eventually could become the head scientist one day. I am glad that you are taking initiative to do these lower priority cases on your own. Now let me look over your work and if I don't see any faults, which I don't expect to find, then you can continue working through the older cases without me looking over your shoulder every minute. But don't hesitate to ask any questions. In my mind asking questions if you need help is not a sign of weakness, the pride that bullies you into not asking for help is the fault and weakness that I will not tolerate in my lab. Clear?"

"Cristal Dr. Brennan." _Not that I need to ask questions_, Zach thought. _I have WELL over average intelligence or even a genius level of intelligence._ While Zach was confident about his intelligence, maybe a little cocky about it, he did not go out of his way to flaunt it, he just wasn't as knowledgable about interpersonal relationships as he was about forensic science, math, music, history, physics, and the list goes on and on.

As she looked through the file, Zack let his eyes wander over her office. There used to be no personal belongings in the office, except for a sweater or jacket hung on the coat hook on the back of the door. Over the last couple of years or so, the office started picking up some personality. She had a hand-woven blanket that she picked up in Las Vegas for one of her undercover missions with Agent Booth, as well as some sort of laughing alligator that sat on the end table by her couch that she got down in New Orleans after that whole voodoo incident. Actually Zack surmised, a lot of the trinkets around Dr. Brennan's office were related to Agent Booth in some way. Before Zack could delve further into that thesis, he spotted some pictures on the bookshelf to the side of her desk that had a picture of Russ and a few of Angela with Dr. Brennan through the years. The two women had met during college internships and formed a very unique bond that surpassed their differences. Zack loved being the observer of others, he felt much more comfortable observing than participating.

"Zack? Are you paying attention?" Zack mentally shook himself out of observation mode.

"I was just observing how much your office has changed since you became partners with Agent Booth. It has more personal affects than it did a few years ago. I can't pinpoint when the changed happened, but it was gradual enough not to catch my attention earlier. I am sorry for my lack of attention, Dr. Brennan. What did you say again?" _Zach does love to observe, but I am not going to let that distract me from the praise I was giving him, even though I have no idea what he is talking about. My office hasn't changed. Even though he knows how smart he is, he is not yet the foremost expert in his field and since I am, giving him praise is a great way to encourage this independent behavior. _

"I was just telling you how impressed I have been recently with your work. You have really stepped up the quality and quantity of your work since you got the permanent job. I didn't think that was possible. It takes a lot to surprise me, in a good way, and you definitely have. Continue the excellent work."

"Thank you Dr. Brennan. Praise like that coming from you means more to me than anything. I'll get back to work and leave you to writing."

"Thanks Zach," Tempe said distractedly as her attention was once again caught by the words on her monitor. She worked straight through from the moment Zack walked out of her office until late afternoon, luckily without anymore interruptions.

She hated being interrupted, unless it was by something more interesting then the thing she was already working on, like a new case or a breakthrough in another one. Other than those two exceptions, she detested being taken away from her work.

Tempe was a very intense person who focused one hundred percent of her attention on the thing in front of her, which was why she was so good at her job. She expected more of herself than anyone else, because the only person she could depend on was herself.

But times were changing. She had this "partner" who was forcing her to open up more and feel intuitions about cases, something she neither could not nor would not do in the past because Brennan defines her entire existence on logic. But her frustrating partner was pushing all of her boundaries and challenging her in ways no one else has ever even attempted to challenge her in her entire existence. _Booth's not even a true partner because we work in two completely different fields. Both complement one another to solve the mystery usually involving a murder, but he is so frustrating!_

"What could you be possibly writing that was funny?" Booth said as he folded the newspaper he had been reading.

"Booth! When did you get here?" Tempe asked very startled at his presence, as she had just been thinking about him.

"Oh I've been here for about 10 minutes. I tried to get your attention when I first came in but I decided that I needed time to get caught up on the Post today so I waited. I haven't seen you or the squints in a while. Did you miss me?"

"I missed you like menstrual cramps." She said the statement so deadpan that his mouth opened a little bit before he had a chance to cover his suprised reaction.

"What did you just say? Did you just try to make a joke Bones?" Booth laughed.

"It's research, you know for the book." Instead of pausing, like most would for comedic effect, Bren charged ahead.

"Actually I was wondering if you could help me with that. Could you read my manuscript before I send it to the editor and see if you like the new direction I am taking with the story and characters. Do you think you can help me?"

"Seriously? You actually want my help on your book? I would love to, thanks for asking me. Now what should I be looking for?"

"You shouldn't be looking for anything, I just want your opinion on the whole thing, what you liked and disliked." Tempe laughed. "Thank you so much for so readily agreeing to read the novel."

"Of course I'd agree! I'm your partner, and besides, I want to read about the devastatingly handsome Ryan, even if you've said he isn't based off of any amazing FBI agent you know." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"I like your books, even though there is a lot of science that I need a dictionary or you to explain. You explain it really well but I still need help…maybe a glossary in the back or you can just be available to answer any of my questions." He smiled. "When do I get it and how long do I have to read it?"

"I told my editor I would have it in by Monday so you have a little less than a week. Is that enough time for you?"

"Plenty. I am actually excited to read, who would have thought? I know my opinion is everything to you, it's the reason you get up in the morning but I didn't realize that my power over you spilled over into your writing. So, do Ryan and Kathy get horizontal yet?"

"Goodness! You need to put that ego on a diet before it gets too big to fit through the door. Maybe I should ask someone else to read the manuscript; I bet Hodgins has time and would love to check out any possible hints of conspiracies that I didn't write."

"No no. I want to read it. There is no ego. I see no ego at all. I am a humble man who constantly eats humble pie around you, Bones."

"I am amazing, what can I say?"

"Now didn't we just have a conversation about overly large egos?"

"I believe we were talking about yours. I have great self-control and I am extremely smart. I deserve some ego."

Booth's phone rang interrupting the very important conversation that the duo was having. He held up his finger to indicate silence, or quiet as he answered.

"Booth." He waited.

"Yes, sir. Right away." Another pause.

"Can you give me some preliminaries?" He nodded.

"Ok we'll gather the team and meet you there as soon as possible. Thanks." And he hung up. "Bones?"

"Yeah?"She looked up from her computer.

"We have a case." Brennan tried not to look excited.

"What are the deets?" When Booth looked at her as if she was crazy, she held up her colloquial dictionary and asked, "Too much?" and Booth laughed in response.

"A body was found at the bottom of one of the ponds on the Congressional Country Club golf course. They drained the pond for remodeling." He leaned in a little closer so no one outside of the office could hear. "He had been drawn and quartered." As he stood up and put his jacket on, Bones just sat there looking a little shell shocked.

"Bones what is it?"

"We won't know if that actually happened until I get there to examine the body… but that's rather a unusual conclusion for your people to arrive at. People haven't been drawn and quartered in any regularity for quite a few centuries," Tempe said, forgetting to keep her voice down, which caught Angela's attention as she was about to enter Brennan's office. The artist paled at the image her mind conjured up, turning on a heel to go back to her own gore-free zone of an office.

Booth smiled at Angela's strong aversion to the graphic details of the case as the forensic scientist continued, "It is a very gruesome and unique way to kill someone; and it's very messy. Hopefully this'll be an open and close case. It would be really hard for a single person to draw and quarter another, especially without leaving any trace or DNA evidence."

"Open and shut case, Bones. And if anyone can find the trace evidence to nail this perp, you and the squints can."

"Obviously. Now where is the body? A golf course?"

"Not just any golf course, it's THE golf course in the DC Metro Area. They play the U.S. Open there every couple of years. Tiger Woods has his own tournament there every year."

He plucked his imaginary suspenders, "Maybe after I solve this case the country club will be so happy that they'll give me free membership or let me play the course a few times."

"The club is not a 'they,' Booth, and it does not have the capacity as an inanimate object to give you membership or do anything for that matter. And YOU don't solve the case, WE do." Brennan quipped. "Team work, remember?"

Booth was about to respond when Bones held up her hand to silence him. Something was bothering her about the preliminary summary of the case. She shook her head to clear her mind. She needed to have an open mind each time she went to a crime scene or else her preconceived notions could cloud her judgment. _Maybe my preliminary examination of the body and scene will alleviate whatever is bothering me about this case._

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you all think? I would love to hear all of your comments because I really want to see what I can do better or where I should go with this.**


	2. Close Enough

* * *

Chapter Two: Close Enough

Author: Duckypantz

**Disclaimer: **While this might sound counterintuitive, I now have $30 on my Starbucks card instead of $20 of earlier. Still have the silly puppy… and maybe more shoes, but other than that, I own very little. Can't afford _Bones_ or its characters. Any characters that are not from the show in the story are my creations and free for me to own :) doesn't that sound like fun! I've never _owned_ people before.

* * *

"Something is bothering me about this case." She held up her hand, interrupting what she knew would be a question from her partner about what bothered her. "I don't want to get into it nor do I want to make conjectures, especially since I haven't even examined the scene yet, but something is weird," Bones commented as they stopped at a red light on Constitution Ave.

"Bones, do you have a gut feeling about the case?" Booth teases.

"I don't know what my stomach has to do with this case. We must have come across a case like this before, with the body at a golf course or something. Now I need to get these thoughts removed from my head before we get to the scene, they could compromise my findings."

"Lobotomy for one…" Booth jokingly orders into the air as Bren looks on confused.

* * *

As the dynamic duo is chatting on the way to the crime scene, Dr. Camille Saroyan enters Dr. Brennan's office, with Angela hot on her heels. "Cam, Bren and Booth just left for a crime scene. Don't ask me to tell you gross details about the crime. It's bad."

"So is this," Cam counters. "I need to tell Dr. Brennan about this situation as soon as possible." She hit speaker button on Bones' phone and started dialing Dr. Brennan's cell phone number.

"Sorry to interrupt Dr. Brennan but Steve, Mr. Christian, has uncovered something rather disturbing in the security tapes from last night," Cam said.

"Please continue." Brennan urged.

"It appears that we've had an intruder at the Jeffersonian. Don't worry, nothing in the lab seems to have been disturbed, so you don't have to worry about anything being compromised."

"Then why worry us and let us know about it?" Bones asked.

"Because of where the intruder went when he broke in. Now we don't know the gender of the intruder, but I am going to refer to the intruder as a man. He broke in on Friday night, early Saturday morning. From the looks of things, he didn't have much of a problem bypassing the security and knew exactly where to go for what he was after. From the tapes your office was the only place he went. He appeared not at all hesitant, knowing exactly where your office was and how to get in, even with the door secured."

Bones looked at Booth, "I haven't noticed anything out of place."

Booth nodded his head in agreement, "I was in there earlier and I didn't notice anything out of place either."

"He didn't appear to upset anything. He came straight to the computer to get something. He somehow bypassed your passwords and uploaded whatever information he needed onto a jump drive."

"What did he take?" Tempe asked, clearly worried. There were a lot of highly sensitive documents on her computer and any that were leaked could cause a scandal.

"That is what I was going to ask Ms. Montenegro to check out. Luckily she came into your office right behind me so she can get started right now. She is our best computer person. She'll check your computer to see if he left any sort of trail."

Cam pushed away from the desk, offering her chair to Angela. "Be my guest."

Computers had always come easy to Angela. She loved puzzles, especially neat and clean ones that no gore was involved in. And if she had any little bit of trouble she could talk her way through it with Zack. He knew almost as much as she did about computers and was a great sounding board for ideas and theories. Angela worked steadily and efficiently for a few more minutes before she stopped typing and sat back in the chair.

"It appears that our mystery man came in here and accessed a non password protected word document. It's called Deadly Secrets. What doc is that, Bren?"

"It's a draft of my newest book. It hasn't even gone to the editor yet. Why would anyone...I forgot, thanks Ange for finding out what he wanted. At least that was the most harmless thing on that computer."

Angela was still tapping away on the keys and interjected, "He didn't just access the file, he also downloaded it onto a jump drive and printed a copy out."

"Why would anyone want an advance copy of your book? I know they are very popular and best sellers, but they aren't the Harry Potter books or anything," Booth said.

"Who is Harry Potter? Is he a better writer than I am? And why would people want his books before they come out?" Bones asked, clearly perplexed.

"I'll bring Parker around, now that's something he's an expert in." Booth and Bones shared a smile about his son. Bones and Parker had bonded over dinosaur bones one time Booth brought Parker to Sid's for lunch on a weekend.

"Wait, Cam. Why did it take so long for security to figure out that there had been a breach in the system?" Bones asked.

"Mr. Christian was on sick leave. He is the head of security and he reviews all the tapes himself. Since he wasn't here, no one watched any of the tapes and since our intruder never tripped any alarms, the security guard on duty at the time didn't notice him. Mr. Christian has already reprimanded that security guard and is in the process of implementing more security measures for our area of the Jeffersonian," Cam answered.

Booth whistled, "Man, that does not sound like fun, watching security videos all day. Especially ones that happen when the Jeffersonian is closed. I wonder if he's ever found anything interesting on the videos. Angela, you know if he has?"

Angela blushed and Cam smiled, "Nothing else to report here, Dr. Brennan. I'll talk to Mr. Christian again and review the tapes myself, maybe with Angela's help?" When Angela nodded in agreement, Cam ended the phone call and walked out of Dr. Brennan's office towards security, with Angela following behind.

* * *

Once they got out of D.C. traffic they weren't too far from the country club. The mood was still light and Bones was rolling her eyes at Booth's antics. "Seriously, why is there traffic in the middle of the morning, after rush hour and going out of the city?"

"Booth, calm down, it's not that big of a deal to get there as quickly as possible. Also out in the suburbs the way of life is quite different than it is inside the city, especially in such a wealthy area as Potomac. Not everyone has a job, while I don't understand it, I find it fascinating to watch how these people live without any real purpose."

"GET A JOB!" Booth yelled, and banged his hands against the steering wheel, at the driver in front of them who was a perfect example of Potomac life: rich, youngish, blond, in a cute tennis outfit all decked out in jewelry, very in shape and much too small to handle her oversized SUV.

Bones laughed in response. _Booth is crazy. He definitely keeps me, is it, on my feet? Toes? Toes, that's the right word. _She smiled at herself for choosing the correct colloquial phrase.

"Booth you turn left up here, through those white gates," Bones told Booth to bring his attention back to more important things.

"I know I know. Bones, this is the Mecca of country clubs and a great place to play golf. One day, maybe after we solve this case, I'll get to play on the course. You know Tiger Woods has a tournament here. And the U.S. Open gets played here occasionally."

"Booth," Bren said chastising him, "You can't _do_ that. You can't mix the religious with a sport. That is just silly. But I do know about this place. I actually like golf. I even know who this Tiger Woods guy is. Since our last crime scene on a golf course, I took it upon myself to learn more about the sport." Booth just stared at her in quiet amazement. Before he could respond, the guard stopped their SUV.

* * *

Once they reached the crime scene via golf cart, all joking stopped between the partners. Brennan put on her examination gloves and pulled on her wading boots. While the grounds crew had emptied the little pond, it was still very muddy.

"Now the description Cullen gave you of the body was that it was drawn and quartered, but we don't have any evidence that it was drawn until we reassemble it. Booth, can you turn on the tape recorder for me?" He reaches in his pocket to draw out the recorder and turned it on.

"Thanks Booth. Now from this very preliminary examination, it appears that the victim is male, due to the shape of his pelvis, and he is in his twenties. See how in the femur, the epiphyseal plates are in the process of ossification? That means that he is no longer growing in height, but essentially solidifying his height."

She moved to another part of the pond and crouched down to look at the skull. After finding out that the FBI forensic team was done with taking pictures of the remains in the current ambient, she asked Booth for a jar to take a sample of the muddy substance off the head of the victim. Once she took a sufficient sample, she moved the head to study the race identifiers, to help Booth narrow the search window in order to find the identity of the victim quicker.

"Booth? I cannot say with certainty what the race of this victim is or rather was. Since the race identifiers in the bone structure of the face are not clear-cut, I would surmise that the victim was biracial, more specifically a combination of Caucasian and African American." She reached her hand out to Booth's for him to help her out of the pond pit. "Where did all the water go from the pond?"

"Hey, people! Where did the pond water go? We need enough for the bug and slime guy to run tests on!" Booth exclaimed to the entire group. One of the agents asked a groundskeeper who explained that all the water was pumped out and is mixed in with the water from other drained ponds. "Bones, it looks like whatever water is left is all there is for Hodgins to run tests on."

She nodded. "Actually I think it would be beneficial if Hodgins came out here himself to gather samples, since we have been limited. I'll give him a call. I also want him here for a fresh pair of eyes. While I know I won't cloud any evidence here with my own judgment, having another scientist here to verify my findings will solidify our case against the murderer." She caught the phone that Booth threw to her. _He should NOT be throwing stuff at me when I am standing in the middle of evidence. While I do have great hand to eye coordination, if I had dropped that phone…_

"Dr. Hodgins? It's Dr. Brennan. I am at Congressional Country Club at a crime scene in a drained pond on the golf course. I need you to come out here to gather your own samples since there is no way to separate the pond water from this pond from any of the other drained ponds."

"Dr. Brennan?" Hodgins interrupts. "I, uh, I am, uh not allowed on the premises of Congressional. There was an incident, when I was younger…" he trailed off, clearly embarrassed and not wanting to get into any details.

"That's fine Hodgins, you'll have FBI escort you in and all will be well." She looked at Booth letting him know that he had to arrange to get an agent up to the gate to greet Hodgins. Booth motioned for her to give him the phone.

When she gave him the phone he asked, into it, "So, buddy, what did you do?"

Hodgins replied as he packed his stuff up, "I am not going into any details but it has to do with impressing a girl, one of my more out there theories about the government, stealing a fleet of golf carts and other things that I won't mention. But that was when I was a teenager; I had much more farfetched ways of thinking."

Booth laughed in response. "You do realize I want the whole story before I let you in here. There are national security issues that your presence here could exacerbate."

Bones just shook her head at Booth's antics. _And men say that the fairer sex is the one that gossips. He just wants to know the story because he never wants to feel left out of anything. _

"I'm not going to tell you sober, let's just say that. Also, if the Cantilever Group's money couldn't reinstate my membership, you can't even imagine the severity of this, uh, incident."

"Hodgins, I have to know what you did…"

Bones interrupts Booth with a, "Booth, we have a case to work on. Dr. Hodgins? Get down here as quickly as possible. Bring lots of evidence jars and your pair of waders." She closed the phone and dropped it into Booths pocket as a stately older man walks up to the duo.

Brennan asks, "You do know that you are potentially interfering with an official FBI investigation, I think you should leave."

"Bones, you don't even know who the guy is…"

"But he could be contaminating the evidence or leaving a trace of himself here to cover his tracks in case he actually did dispose of the body here and left evidence linking himself to the crime scene," Bones spoke in hushed tones for her, but for a regular person, her voice was rather loud and carried to the man they were talking about.

"Dr. Brennan?" The man in question asked. When she nodded he smiled and held out his hand, saying, "I am President here at Congressional, my name is Peter Collins."

Brennan just looked at the hand he held out. She held up her gloved muck covered hand as explanation, murmured pleasantries and introduced Booth to the man.

"Dr. Brennan, while we are most upset about the circumstances in which you arrived to Congressional, but we are most pleased with you gracing us with your presence. Would you honor the club by accepting a couple of guest passes to visit the premises under better circumstances." He held up passes for her that she indicated for Booth to take. Booth woodenly took the passes. _But, what about me!_ Booth thinks as he stares at the scene unfolding in front of him. _While I am not all that famous, I am still the FBI lead agent on this case! Get it together! You are not a child. Besides, she'll totally share the passes with me; she isn't interested in this kind of stuff and knows that I want to play golf here._

"That is very kind of you, but rather rude since it appears that you have nothing to give my partner who is standing right here with us. Do you know that in some societies…"

"Bones!" Booth interrupted rolling his eyes, "Since it'll take Hodgins a while to get down here, why don't we go into the Village to grab some starbucks?"

"Ok, I would love to observe the way people live differently in this area, since you said that they do." She whispered to Booth, then, raising her voice so that Mr. Collins could hear, "Do you live in the area? Are you married? Does your wife have a job?"

Booth smiled, waiting for the man's response. "Well, um, Dr. Brennan, yes I do live in the area, and I am married. My wife stays home and takes care of our children and the house."

"Do you have any staff?"

"Yes, we have a nanny, maid and chef."

"So what is it that your wife actually does?"

"She, I guess, manages all the household affairs."

Leaning closer Bones says in a conspiratorial manner, "I bet she is a great tennis player."

"Well, yes, she definitely takes pride in her abilities on the court, and has frequent lessons with the trainer." Brennan smiled in response.

"Booth, I think his wife is one of those women that most likely drive around in those oversized cars that can't handle them and literally lets her brain atrophy from lack of any stimulating use because she does nothing of value all day. Fascinating. Lead the way to this Village. I want to see more of them in their natural habitat." Booth laughed and led Brennan away from Mr. Collins, by putting his hand on her lower back.

As they walked away Mr. Collins looked perplexed, he couldn't tell if he had been insulted, his wife had been insulted, or their way of life had been looked down upon, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out how he had been insulted.

**

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**

Author's Note: Next up, what did Hodgins do to get kicked out of Congressional? What does Brennan think of the Potomac wives, and what is going on with this murder? Will there be more? B&B in the next chapter, I PROMISE! I know this was a TOTALLY random ending to this chapter, but dude, sometimes a girl just has to make some social commentary...


	3. Fearless

Chapter Three: Fearless

Author: Duckypantz

**Disclaimer: **Now I've spent some money on that Starbucks card, it's down to maybe $25, I still owe my dog, fondly referred to as Snuggle Muffin (only when he's sleeping, not in public or anything weird like that)… and maybe more shoes, but other than that, I own very little. Can't afford _Bones_ or its characters. Any characters that are not from the show in the story are my creations and free for me to own :) doesn't that sound like fun! I've never _owned_ people before.

**Author's Note: **I love feedback and I always respond to each one personally because if you take the time to review my work I will take time to respond. Happy reading.

* * *

Booth turns left off of River Road into Potomac Village's parking lot. Bones is looking around wide eyed taking in the sites of the wealthy suburb. "Booth, look at all these SUVs, some of them are even bigger than yours!" She exclaimed completely missing the double entendre of her words.

Laughing, Booth answered, "Bigger doesn't always mean better, just in terms of cars. In other aspects of life, bigger is most definitely better," he waggled his eyebrows.

"I am not completely sure what you are talking about, but I think you were referring to something sexual. And let me tell you, in my experience, bigger is not always better in that arena. If you know how to use what you are working with, that is always better… but it can't be small enough to almost be inverted," she shuddered as if remembering some past experience.

Booth sputtered, "Inverted? Poor fellow. I wonder if his nickname was Pinky or something."

Brennan snorted, "How did you know?!"

"Why are we talking about this while I am driving and can't fully appreciate the hilarity of this situation?" Booth asked looking up at the heavens.

"Well, because you always drive. If you would let me drive every once in a while, you'd enjoy this situation more and not have to focus on NOT CRASHING." Bones answered clutching the oh crap bar as a Hummer-like tank-car almost hit them.

"GET A JOB!" Booth yelled at the woman as she swerved by them, missing them by an inch. "If I never have to come back to Potomac ever again, it'll be too soon."

"Are you going to do something rash, like shoot her car or some other inanimate object?"

"Boones! I am not going to shoot anyone or anything. How about we just park in silence?" They finally found a spot after circling the parking lot a few times. They walked into Starbucks, with Brennan diligently observing the patrons.

"Most of the people here are women. What kind of outfits are they wearing, Booth?"

"They are wearing tennis outfits, as if they are going to play tennis or have just finished doing so." Booth smiled.

"Why are they wearing diamond bracelets if they are going to exert themselves in physical activity?"

"This is great… because they are TENNIS bracelets!" Booth paused for comedic effect, but as usual, Bren didn't get it… but that didn't mean that he didn't amuse himself.

"I kill myself," Booth laughed. They got their overpriced but addicting coffees from the barista and wove their way through the small sitting area to get to an empty table.

Once they sat down, Booth with his back to the rest of the coffee shop since Bones got the prime seat against the wall, so she could observe the clientele, she said "Booth, why would they wear a lot of jewelry and full make-up to play tennis?"

"Bones, I doubt any of them has actually played tennis looking like that. Most of it is usually preening for their friends. It's all about status and presentation, not substance. They do spend their days playing tennis and going to yoga, but usually not in the presence of anyone else but their trainers."

"How do you know all this, Booth?" Bren asked, resting her chin on her closed fist, looking up at her partner.

"I kinda grew up in this world, only in Pennsylvania. It doesn't matter where you are; people like this are pretty much the same. My mom was a maid for these types of women. Usually they are too busy with their charities and messing around with their trainers to pay any attention to their children."

"My mom helped raise some of the rich kids whose parents she cleaned house for. When Jared and I were young enough, we'd go with her on her jobs, or hang out at the house she was cleaning after school. We stopped going when we were old enough to take care of ourselves and old enough to start causing trouble by sniffing around the daughters. It's ironic how people will do anything to achieve this lifestyle but from what I saw, I wanted to get away from it so much."

Bones filed that away in her Booth filing cabinet in her head. He rarely shared much about his family, but when he did she knew not to push or ask a lot of questions because it would get him to close up. "Isn't there a saying? The grass is always greener?"

"Yes there is, Bones. I am impressed you knew that one. You know what is strange? It's the American Dream to work hard and get rich, but I would just rather work hard and not reap the benefits, at least the way people in Potomac do. I just want a big brand new flat screen tv. And maybe a fridge in the bathroom, where I can keep cold beer for my baths."

Bren smiled at Booth, remembering when she interrupted him in the bathtub with his graphic novel and beer hat. She paused her thought train down memory lane and looked around the Starbucks. _Booth and I aren't speaking very loudly, definitely not loud enough for the other patrons to hear us, but why are they leaning closer to our table? Why are they fluffing their hair and putting their "assets" more on display than before?_ "Oh my goodness!"

"What?" Booth responded.

"All the women here are staring at _you_," Bones whispered. "I mean I understand that you are good looking, I think Angela would equate that to, uh, hot, but they are practically salivating. It is quite disconcerting."

Booth leaned back in his chair, "So you think I'm hot, Bones?" He waggled his eyebrows.

Bones pinkened, "_I_ never said that you were hot, I distinctly remember saying that that was what Angela would say and probably would all these tennis women. Do you want me to ask some of them?" Bones bluffed, pretending to start to stand up.

"No! Bones…you are just trying to change the subject! You think I am hot." Booth jokingly brushed the nonexistent dust off his shoulders making a I-am-supremely-pleased look.

"I am done with this conversation Booth. I have told you that your features are quite symmetrical, which equates to being a more desirable mate."

"I'm not done with this conversation. I need a little confidence boost every once in a while around you, Bones. Not many men have a strong enough ego to handle working day in and day out with a women who is clearly much smarter than he is, isn't apologetic about being so much smarter, and has to dumb stuff down for him in order for him to understand some stuff."

"Really? Is that how you feel around me? Do you really need the validation in being told that you are pretty to feel better about yourself? Goodness, this seems like we've reversed horribly archaic stereotypical gender roles." _Maybe his ego is more fragile than I thought it was. Even though he is clearly an alpha male, his ego I guess needs some boosting._

Booth started laughing his big belly laugh, causing all the women, and some of the men, if truth be told, to sit up a little bit straighter and look invitingly at Booth. When he calmed down, he responded, "I am just playing with you Bones. I mean sure sometimes I feel silly because you do dumb stuff down for me, but I know I am hot, I don't need to hear it from you that I am. But it does feel nice to hear that I am pretty, every once in a while," he smiled.

"Suure, Booth. But seriously, these women are honestly trying to find a way or a reason to come and talk to you. I swear, they are acting like male suitors waiting for you to drop your handkerchief so they can fight one another to get it and give it back to you. Seriously, they are vying for your attention. If they knew you were FBI, I bet there would be bras thrown your way."

"Maybe I should, flash my badge around…" he grinned. He enjoyed playing around with Bones. Over the course of their partnership and friendship, she'd learned to give as much as she took.

"Booth, I never thought that you would be the type that would need help or props such as your badge, to get women." Booth's mouth dropped open at her comment. Then he started to laugh as Bones quirked her eyebrow at his antics.

"I can honestly say that life is never boring with you, Bones. I could never guess what is going to be the next thing out of your mouth if I even tried. That's why this works," he said pointing his finger first at himself, then at her, in reference to their partnership. "I don't know why the powers that be think we need Sweets to keep our partnership going. We are great on our own."

"You have to admit that Dr. Sweets has definitely helped us, if not our partnership but helped solve some cases with his profiles of the killers. Do you think we should call in Sweets to profile this killer?"

"We might if there isn't any physical evidence left by the killer. But I leave the finding of that evidence up to you. Actually you just made me think of something."

"What?"

"Well I know we rushed over to the scene this morning, but I want to talk about the break-in to your office. Do you know why anyone would want to steal your book?"

"Honestly, I haven't a clue why anyone would want an unedited version of my book. It's not even completely done yet. Even though it doesn't need much editing, it's still not at its best yet."

Booth rolled his eyes, _of course her book wouldn't need much editing, she's a perfectionist in everything she does. _"Ok, how about we take the fact that it's your book, out of the equation and just spitball ideas."

Bren looked appalled, "Why on EARTH would I want to spitball anything?"

Booth smiled and shook his head, "It means to toss around ideas, work through the problem by sharing our ideas."

"Ah, ok, weird phrase but good concept of sharing ideas. Maybe the person who stole my book wants to steal it in the sense of publishing it under his/her own name?"

"Good idea, but it's too easy to catch that person and prove that it's your book, copyright infringement and all that. You could be on the right track, though. What if they just wanted to steal one of your ideas, and make it their own, not the whole book, but just a single scene or something along those lines?"

"True," Bren nodded, "but why go through the effort to break-in to the Jeffersonian, it's rather difficult to do so… at least that is my assumption."

"Do you think you have an obsessed fan who wants to get close to you? Or thinks that your books are real and wants to live them out?"

"I've asked my publisher to send me all of the questionable fan mail. I haven't seen anything that would make the hair on your back stand up."

Booth snickered. "I don't have back hair, maybe you do, but I think you meant on the hair on the back of your neck stand up."

Bren waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "I certainly don't have back hair. You've seen my back; when I was wearing the Wonder Woman costume. Did you see any back hair? I just thought that was the saying. Most colloquial pop culture references don't make much sense to me."

Booth had stopped listening after she mentioned her Wonder Woman costume. _That had been a good night, other than dealing with the serial killer, but carrying her on my back when she was in that itty bitty costume… good memories. I wonder if Angela ever gave me that picture she took of us? _"Oh yeah, no back hair for you… Uhh why don' t you humor me about that whole potential crazed fan thing. Anything look out of place at your apartment?"

"Not that I noticed, but I haven't been at my cleanest lately. This deadline for my book has gotten to me like no other deadline has in the past. I've neglected my housework, so things could be out of place and I wouldn't have necessarily noticed."

"Ok, so once Hodgins is done, if he ever gets here, and you supervise the packing of the body, we'll head over to your place to check it out before we go to the Jeffersonian."

"Do you really think that all this is necessary?"

"It can't hurt. Since you are my partner and not FBI trained… not that you aren't a badass," he said when she stared to protest, "But since you are my partner, I should be doing routine checks on your place and office as a precaution. I've been lax because I spend so much time with you at work; hang out at your place so much and I do trust your instincts to know when something is out of place." He stood up, grabbed his phone from his pocket and walked to the door and outside of Starbucks as he placed his call.

_He trusts my instincts. Although he didn't mean that as a compliment, I definitely take it as one. Most of his job is based on instincts in addition to training, but saying that I have instincts good enough for _him _to trust means a lot to me,_ Bones thought as she smiled.

As Bones was thinking, a woman leaned over from a neighboring table and asked Bones about that fine looking man Bones was with and pointed out the window to Booth on the phone, Bren said, "He's my partner."

Bren thought, t_hese women here are wearing just too much make-up, perfume, and jewelry, even if Booth hadn't shared that information about his past, I would never ever think that he would be interested in this type of women, no matter how attractive she could be without all these trappings._

Before the woman could strike up a conversation with Bones to get an in with the FBI agent, Booth, who had been watching the short interaction through the window re-entered the Starbucks and walked straight up to Bones, kissing her on her cheek, watching her expression change from judgment of the women in the café to confused that Booth kissed her cheek. _He never makes this kind of physical contact with me. He is very much into touching me, but never kissing._

She looked up at him, perplexed, but before she could ask him why he kissed her cheek, heasked,"You ready to go?" Booth asked, helping Bones up from her seat and guiding her out of Starbucks with his hand on the small of her back.

"I have people going to your apartment, all people that I know and trust, and Hodgins is about to get on to River Road. If we leave now, we can meet him at the gate at Congressional."

Booth's phone rang. "You're already at Bones'? Wow, that was fast. Oh, it's just you, Steve. Thanks for doing this for me. I just have a hunch."

He paused, waiting for Steve to say something.

"What? You've already found a bug? Are you in the apartment now? Have you gotten rid of the bug?"

"Good. Don't. We don't want him to know that we are onto his game. Is there a serial number on it? Can you run the model and maybe we'll find out where he got it or something."

Booth hung up and turned to Bones, "Steve found a bug in your place but is leaving it there so we can send this perp some red herrings and maybe catch him using his own equipment."

"Why would we want to send him some fish?"

"Of all people I would expect you to get this literary reference. It's Sherlock Holmes. Wiki it."

"Wiki what?"

"Go online and search it via google, you know it right? Now let's both try to work together and get the story for the reason why Hodgins got kicked out of Congressional. We are going to need all the teamwork we can to get this story. You in?" Bones nodded and Booth smiled as they turned into the country club.

**

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**

Author's Note: I know this is a shorter chapter than the others... and it also doesn't have too much about the case, but I figured something to strengthen the B&B relationship is a must! Next up, Hodgins, tidbits of his story and getting drunk?


	4. Butterflies

Chapter Four: Butterflies

Author: Duckypantz

**Disclaimer: **The Starbucks card has no cash money on it, I still owe my dog, fondly referred to as Snuggle Muffin (only when he's sleeping, not in public or anything weird like that)… and maybe more shoes, but other than that, I own very little. Can't afford _Bones_ or its characters; nor do I have the creativity to sustain such dynamics that Hart Hanson has for so long, I just borrow the characters for a little bit. Any characters that are not from the show in the story are my creations and free for me to own :) doesn't that sound like fun! I've never _owned_ people before.

**Author's Note: **I love feedback and I always respond to each one personally because if you take the time to review my work I will take time to respond. Happy reading

This chapter is dedicated to my friend James who passed away yesterday. James, you died tragically young

* * *

Cam walked into the Security Office, looking for Mr. Christian. She wanted to view the security tapes from the break-in herself. Maybe there was a way Angela could get an ID off the tapes or Zach could get some physical markers to identify the intruder in the future.

"Mr. Christian, do you think I could see the security tapes of the other night?" She asked him in hushed tones. She didn't want any of the other security guards to overhear her. Mr. Christian had agreed to keep this event under wraps, even keeping it from his team, until further instruction by Cam.

"Yes ma'am. Should we go into Ms. Montenegro's office to watch them?"

"Perfect idea." As Mr. Christian led her into Angela's office, Cam hoped that this wasn't another inside job concerning the security, like that pirate case they had a bit ago.

Mr. Christian, Cam, and Angela watched the security tapes from the night of the break-in, from 30 minutes before the incident until 30 minutes after it. While the work seemed monotonous, it was obviously important, since someone breached the supposedly impenetrable security of the Jeffersonian.

The second time they watched the tape, they just watched the break-in sequence. Still no one had said anything. Cam was timing the break-in, while Angela and Mr. Christian watched how easily the intruder moved within the Jeffersonian, almost as if he, or she, knew where to go.

Angela was the first to speak up, "It looks like this person knows exactly where to go, and how to avoid the security cameras. While it's not the brightest place at 2am, there are still the red security lights that could easily pick up a person's features as they wander around the lab and near the offices. This person clearly knows where the cameras are and where Bren's office is. This person is either very familiar with our lab or has somehow gotten a copy of the layout."

"That's great thinking, Angela. I was definitely on the same thought path. Any ideas, Mr. Christian?"

He looked nervous, his security team had failed yet again, but Dr. Saroyan didn't seem angry at him, at least, not yet. "The way the intruder walks isn't as if he is afraid of getting caught, either by the cameras or guards, he is walking confidently, as if he has done this before, either at the Jeffersonian or is just an accomplished burglar. If this were his first B&E, I think he would be dodging the cameras or looking behind himself for guards instead of being utterly confident in his stride and surroundings."

Cam looked at the head of security with interest, "Yes, that is probably right. Great insight. That is probably true. From the tapes he looks like he could be over 6 feet tall and that generally means male. Angela, you can get height and weight later, and use Zach for gender markers and what not. He does not hesitate, goes straight for Dr. Brennan's office and computer."

"He spends," she looks at her notes, "2 minutes in the office and doesn't appear to have any trouble gaining access to the files on the computer. Do you know any of her passwords, Angela?"

"I don't know any of them off the top of my head, but I think Booth could guess them, he has a very strange knack for guessing her passwords."

"Ok…" Cam rolled her eyes at Angela's comment. The Booth Brennan relationship was so strange and fodder for so much conversation at the lab that Cam just shook her head and didn't comment. _Those two are certainly a strange pair. Weird that Seeley can guess her passwords but still doesn't 100% get her. If Angela had her way, they'd "get" each other as much as she and Hodgins had, in custodial closets, bathrooms, offices…_

"Mr. Christian, do you think you could make up a few lists? One is a list of all the people who have had access to the layout/blueprint of this part of the Jeffersonian. The second would be the names and information of all of the security guards we've let go in the past 6 months and finally a list of the guards that have just started. I will do the same with employees who have access to this part of the Jeffersonian."

"I will get right on it. I have already written up a list of disgruntled and fired employees dating back to a year ago, as well as a list of the new hires. The list of people who have had access to the layout of this part of the Jeffersonian will take a little bit longer since it'll include contractors, but I will get that to you as soon as possible." With that Mr. Christian walked away, hoping he could find the perp that made his security team look like fools. _Not like it was the first time_

_

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_

The dynamic duo pulled up to the security building where Hodgins was waiting and the security guard was searching the Mini Cooper.

"Seriously! There is nothing in the car except for my equipment to search the area where the body was found and to collect particulates! Please be careful with that," Hodgins almost whined.

"I know that I should intervene, but I really enjoy watching Hodgins like this," Booth smiled to Bones while she shoved his right shoulder before getting out of the SUV to go save her Bug Guy. _A Happy Hodgins is a productive one, well a sad Hodgins is productive too, but Happy Hodgins doesn't mope, I don't like moping_, Bones thought as she stopped the security guard from damaging any of Hodgins' stuff.

"Booth? A little help here, please?" Bones asked turning to her partner, who was just resting a hip against the side of the SUV enjoying the show.

He pushed off the car and walked over to the security guard, easily fixing the problem and allowing Hodgins access to the crime scene. Once they arrived to the scene, Booth told Hodgins, "You do realize that now you owe me and I want to call that favor in. I would like to know your dirty little secret about being kicked out of a joint like this, even though you are who you are."

Hodgins sighed, "As I already told you, the only way I'll tell you is if and when I am blackout, but I can't even promise I'll let that secret go even then. I don't think I have ever gotten in as much trouble since or will ever get in that kind of trouble." He shook his head, remembering. "But, it was totally worth it," he smiled.

"You got the girl?"

"Yessir I did. It was the first and last time I was ever really a badass. Do you know how tiring it is to be a 'bad boy'? It is exhausting."

"Ok boys, enough with the talk, can we please get down to business so that we can close this crime scene soon?" Bren asked with her hands on her hips.

Hodgins put on his waders, looking absolutely ridiculous. Not many people can pull waist high black and white polka dot waders held up by suspenders. When Hodgins heard a female snicker, he turned to Bones and said, "Dr. Brennan! Of all people I would have expected you to not laugh at my equipment," having heard this, Booth almost dropped his notepad and started laughing at the sexual innuendo.

Hodgins continued, ignoring Booth, "Angela got these for me and painted them herself. Even though we are no longer together does not mean that I am going to get rid of all the things she gave me, that would be a waste. Also, if either one of you wants to get down in here and gather samples without slipping in the mud, be my guest, so NO MORE LAUGHING."

The partners looked at one another and snorted, trying to keep the laughter inside. Brennan tried to busy herself with the supervision of setting up the remains to be transported back to the Jeffersonian, while Booth observed the scene, taking notes about access to that particular hole on the course and security to overcome in order to drop the body off.

Once Hodgins gathered a mountain of samples that he deemed was enough for now, everyone packed up the scene, leaving up the yellow police tape, and getting into their respective cars for the frustrating drive back into the city. No matter what time of day, traffic going into the city was usually bad.

* * *

Once they were in the car, Bones turned to Booth, "I never got to ask you, what was the reason for acting romantically with me when we were at the Starbucks?"

Booth's eyes widened. "Romantic? How was any of that romantic?"

"You hardly ever kiss me on the cheek and when you do, it is for a specific reason, usually having to do with thanking me or something."

"I was just trying to get away from the piranhas without any scars. You were my lifesaver."

"I don't really understand that, especially likening me to a piece of candy, but I think you meant life preserver. Also, I have another question."

"You are unusually inquisitive today, Bones."

"No, I don't think so. I have a very inquisitive nature, that's what makes me a great investigator."

Booth just laughed, "So hit me."

"You want me to hit you?"

"Kind of. I want you to hit me with the question."

"Oh, I like that. Hit me. Also has a meaning in gambling too, right?" He nodded and she mentally filed away this new saying that she was going to try to use. "I really enjoyed our chats today. They gave me more insight into your childhood and I am definitely fascinated and want to learn more."

Bren paused, trying to gather her thoughts, "I know you are reticent to share much about your childhood, but I would categorize this as further strengthening the bonds of our partnership."

"Bones, I can't believe you took a nice moment where I opened up and thanked me about it." He shook his head and laughed. "I will never be able to predict what is going to come out of that mouth am I?"

"Why would you want to predict what I am going to say? There is no science in that and a foolish waste of time because you will most likely be wrong most of the time."

"Actually I could have guessed that was what you were going to say, or at least something along those lines. But no one can put me in my place quite like you can." He smiled.

"Now Bones, we need to focus on more important things, like trying to figure out…"

"The identification of the remains and how he was killed, Booth, I _do_ know how to do my job…" Bones rebuked.

"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of figuring out what Hodgins did at Congressional. Now he said that the only way he would tell us the story is if he were drunk. So we have to get him drunk."

"I don't know if I want to be party to intentionally getting my subordinate drunk in order to extract information from him."

"Fine, I'll do it without you. But I will not tell you the story after I hear it. It'll just be my secret with Hodgins."

"But, but…" She sputtered. "We don't keep secrets from one another. That does not create a good, healthy environment for our partnership. Second, we don't keep secrets from one another; at least not in this juvenilely blatant way."

Bren paused, "I've got it! You just want me to help you formulate a plan and help execute it."

"Bones, Bones. Why would I do that? I do want you to help, but I wouldn't be devious about it." He smiled the charm smile. _I am so bad at lying to her. I just want to laugh because she gets all huffy and it looks painful how hard she is thinking about this. But in the end, totally worth the amusement. _

Bones huffed. "Fine. I'll help you. But we have to make a simple plan while we are driving back to the Jeffersonian because I do not want this to interfere with the case. And this plan does have to take place after work hours as to not…"

"… I know, not interfere with the case. Bones, I have been a special agent with the FBI for a while, I have learned that the case does come first. But we can't ignore fun even when a case is ongoing, nor can we ignore a very important mystery."

"Ok. You want me to get out my notepad to take notes?" When he nodded she pulled a fresh one out of her bag. "Goal: get Hodgins drunk to tell us the story, but not too drunk where he is incoherent and makes a complete fool of himself by vomiting or getting naked or something."

Booth's eyes bugged out as he looked at Brennan. "What? I've heard that that is what people do when they are extremely inebriated. I myself tend to lose articles of clothing when I drink copious amounts of alcohol. I also sing, but rarely do I vomit, thank goodness. What do you do, Booth?"

"Oh, I tend to be very huggy and occasionally sing a line or two of a song."

"I forgot, I am also, what Angela calls, a make-out slut…What? Why do you keep looking at me as if I have grown to heads or something? Did I get that saying right?" He nodded, still looking dazed and Bren continued, "I just said making out, I didn't say sex, gosh, you are reacting as if I said something really scandalous."

Booth shook his head, wanting to take both hands off of the steering wheel and cradle his head in his hands. _I need to teach her the term TMI. Seriously, Bones is all about sharing and doesn't quite know that she crosses the line over into very uncomfortable territory. Not that I wouldn't mind witnessing her get drunk and lose some clothes, I just don't want other people to witness it. _He shook his head again, trying to clear his head of the treacherous thoughts.

"Alright, so enough about us, let's talk about Jack," Booth started. "Do we want this to be in a bar or at one of our apartments? We can't have it at his mausoleum of a house because that would be rude, asking him to host a party where we are going to take advantage of him…well put him in a vulnerable state and then wheedle the truth out of him."

"I don't know if a group setting is the place to do this, Booth. I think the best and easiest way to get information out of him is to do some manly bonding thing, like going to a bar to pick up women."

"I don't know if I want to spend one entire evening trying to get him drunk under the ruse of picking up women together. He might need my help in getting them, but he just might be a hindrance for me in that department."

"Booth, you do realize it's just a ruse, you aren't actually going to pick women up, you are going to get him drunk and ask about Congressional."

Booth mulled it over as he crossed over the 14th street bridge. _No need to plan, just to call him up and ask if he wants to hang out. Weird. I don't do that. Not with any of the squints, well except for Bones. But she doesn't count. But this shouldn't be difficult, unless he starts ranting on about government conspiracies… I guess I'll have to lock my gun in the car before we meet up… _

"Ok, I guess it'll work. If it doesn't it's not like a whole lot of planning went into this. I'll ask him in passing this afternoon. Real nonchalantly. Ok, I can handle this. Operation: Get Jack Hodgins to spill his guts is totally underway," Booth stated, getting excited for his mission, but acting resigned so that Bones didn't think he actually wanted to spend a Thirsty Thursday with Hodgins.

"We don't have to be so mean as to spill his guts, Booth."

"Urbandictionary, Bones. You need to start looking these things up, online is the easiest way. First you need to bring around a little pad of paper, then when you don't understand something, write it down so that you can look it up later."

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**Author's Note: Thanks again to all of those who have reviewed and who are going to review this chapter (hint hint). Not going to lie, I'd LOVE some review loving to encourage speedy posting!**


	5. Car Door

Chapter Five: Car Door

Author: Duckypantz

**Disclaimer: **Can't afford _Bones_ or its characters, I just borrow the characters for a little bit. Any characters that are not from the show in the story are my creations and free for me to own :). Like the idea of owning characters!

**Author's Note: **Seriously makes my DAY when I get reviews… because that means that some of you all take time out of your day to comment on my work. It's so wonderful that you all do review, so I will definitely return the favor and PM each one of you individually thanking ya'll.

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Booth's right, when I get time, I should go out and get a small pad of paper so that I can write down colloquial/pop culture phrases that I don't get and look them up when I have time. Maybe I will check out this wiki thing and urbandictionary. Sounds like I've been too caught up in the past anthropologically that I am missing out on the anthropological affects that certain websites have on American culture. Fascinating.

Bren was thinking as she was calling Zach to hear his preliminary findings about the victim. She and Booth had just pulled up to her apartment and were about to meet up with the agent that had found the bug at her place.

"Dr. Brennan, I believe that the victim is in his mid-twenties and is mixed race. With the nasal cavities and brow ridges, I would say he is Caucasian and Black. There is extensive damage to the body, so it is hard to determine what the fatal blow was, if there even was a fatal blow." He stopped examining the body and looked at his mentor. "Actually this reminds me of that fighter case, Billie Morgan, I believe the victim's name was. The one where you and Booth went undercover in Las Vegas?"

"Yes, I remember that case. Why does this body remind you of that one?"

"Well Billie had been in a fight the same night she was killed, so it was very difficult to determine what killed her, and the fatal blow by the baseball bat was hidden by all of her injuries from the fight. I have a feeling that this man's cause of death could be as difficult to surmise as Billie's was."

"That is definitely plausible. Why don't you take the body to be x-rayed, then give it to Cam so that she can examine the flesh and run her tests."

"Yes Dr. Brennan." With that they both hung up.

"Booth? I am surprised that there aren't more agents here. Usually you go aboveboard on the security detail and such when my safety has been violated."

"Above and beyond, not aboveboard. Aboveboard means on the up and up, honest, legit. I am not getting any feeling about this situation, so I want to play it cautious. I don't want to spook this guy, so we are going into covert mode."

"Shouldn't we have waited until the end of the day before we came over to my apartment? I never come home during the day, so if he is monitoring the place, he'll know something is hinky."

"Hinky?"

"Yes, I am expanding my vocabulary. Don't judge."

Booth held up his hands in front of his chest, in conciliatory gesture, "I don't judge. I leave that up to you. But back to the matter at hand, how about we just make this quick and look like you left a file at home we needed. We can talk about this supposed file in your apartment, but we'll talk to Steve when we get out into the hall. I don't want your intruder to think that we are on to his game."

They entered the apartment. Booth started the trap for the intruder, "Bones, I can't believe you've already been back here twice today. You never forget files at home. What is up with that?" While he was talking, he pulled out his notepad and wrote **we need to explain why there was noise in your apartment earlier from Steve searching for bugs… play along**.

In the loud voice she uses when she is unsure of ruse she was playing with Booth, "Oh OH! Yes, I know. I have been very forgetful today. I didn't get much sleep last night. I am not sure why. It might have to do with the pressure I've been getting from my editor." She leaned down to pick up a random file from her desk.

"I've found the Winter case. I don't know what has come over me. I didn't even sign it. I'm sorry, Booth."

"Actually it's ok. I was looking for that one as well as the Morgenstern case and I know I brought it right over to your office for you to sign, but never left it there with you. Instead of taking it back to my office like I had planned to, I instead took it home and forgot it there. So we are going to have to swing back to my house before we head back to the lab. Both of us goofed up."

They closed the door on the apartment and walked over to the elevator, where Steve was waiting for them.

"Alright, I've swept the entire apartment and found two bugs. One of them was underneath the lamp on her desk and the other one is underneath the lamp on her bedside table. They have a random of about 20 feet, so the places that are uncovered are the kitchen, living room and guest bathroom. The master bathroom has spotty coverage."

"He can HEAR her in the BATHROOM?!" Booth exclaimed. "This is unacceptable. Is there any way for us to find out how long he has had these bugs in her place?"

"Booth, man, I am sorry. I don't think, without taking these bugs apart and alerting the perp, can we even begin to find out when these bugs were planted. I do know the make and models."

When Booth looked expectantly at Steve, he took that as encouragement to continue his report to the senior agent. "Yeah, so this is a low tech operation. He doesn't use the internet or anything where we could track the sound bytes to his IP address. It's the simple radio transmitter with a microphone. It has a radius of about 1/8 of a mile. The perp can listen to the bug by turning on his radio to the appropriate radio station or pick it up on his computer by accessing the radio waves."

He paused to let that all sink in, then continued with the somewhat good news, "The bugs are not recording devices, so, unless he sits around listening all day, he cannot possibly hear everything all the time. If I may suggest, a change in your normal routine might make you feel a little more comfortable until we catch this guy."

"What kind of change in schedule?"

"Coming back to the apartment during the day and doing things that you wouldn't want to be overheard doing, like showering or something."

* * *

"Bones, I don't know about you, but knowing that there is a guy listening in on your home life is creeping me out!" Booth exclaimed, looking worriedly at his partner and best friend as they walked into her office at the Jeffersonian.

"Yes, it is not the best circumstances, and makes me uncomfortable, but what would you have me do? We don't want to alert this guy to the fact that we know he's listening in, so, with that, what should I do?"

"Steve is right, maybe we should change up your schedule. You can spend time at my place and take showers there or something. I don't know. Maybe we can post an agent who looks and sounds like you in your place till this thing blows over." Booth looked so distressed about the entire situation that he couldn't get his thoughts in order. All he heard inside of his head was _Bones is in danger. Do something to protect her._

"This is why I need a gun. I can protect myself, and having a gun would just add to my protection." Bren paused, "I don't want to change my routine just because this guy has tried to invade my privacy."

"Even though your motives are not correct, the idea behind them is," Dr. Sweets said as he joined the conversation.

"I've been read in about this stalker guy and I think Dr. Brennan is correct. She should not change her schedule at all because that would only put him on alert. Since we are not removing the bugs from her apartment in hopes that we can catch this guy, altering Dr. Brennan's schedule in any way could anger the stalker and cause him to strike out at her."

Bren reached over and none-too-lightly punched Booth on the arm, "See! I need a gun!"

"No gun! I am your gun."

"You can't be. You cannot stay over at my place because he would be able to hear you."

"Not if we don't talk."

"Actually Dr. Brennan, there is a way to have Booth or another agent stay over at your apartment as protection."

"How?"

"Well, do you talk with one another on the phone when you get home from work?"

"Usually."

"Dr. Brennan, do you put the phone on speaker while you are making dinner or something?"

"Occasionally I do put the phone on speaker."

"Then how about we have Agent Booth stay with you Dr. Brennan and you all can talk but only for as long as you talk on the phone normally. The rest of the time has to be in silence, but I am sure you can get small white boards and write on them to one another."

"Bo_o_nes! You are getting a roomie for a little bit. We can do each other's hair and maybe even do facials. I have this great recipe for this avocado mayonnaise facial that is just to die for." Booth joked.

"Sleepover, huh?" Cam asked as she and Angela approached the trio in Bren's office.

Before Cam or Angela could make any further comments, Mr. Christian, the head of the lab's security came running over. "Dr. Saroyan!"

"Yes, Mr. Christian?"

"I don't know why I didn't notice this before. I was going through the log of ID cards that had been swiped to let people into the lab over the past week to see if I noticed anything strange. No one who has access to this lab area, but doesn't normally come in here has used their cards. But I was looking over the entire day of the break-in and noticed that someone had gained access to the front door of the lab using an authorized card…" he trailed off.

"And the relevance of this information, Mr. Christian?" Cam asked, starting to get irritated.

Flustered, he answered, "well, there was a card used to access this part of the Jeffersonian through that front door," he pointed at the entrance Booth and Bren had just walked through. "And it was used at 1am on the morning of the break-in."

"Why would someone want to stay around for at least an hour before he breaks into my office to steal my manuscript?"

"More importantly, whose card did he use to gain access to the lab?" Booth asked.

Mr. Christian turned to Cam and said, "It was your card, Dr. Saroyan."

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Thanks so much for taking the time to read this story. Again I am super interested in reading what you all think about it, so please drop me a PM or review!! Seriously, would make my week… and knowing how much interest the story has (through the amount of reviews/PMs) really will encourage me to write faster.

**Next chapter: did Cam do it? Will Hodgins and Booth get drunk??**


	6. Change is Gonna Come

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Chapter Six: Change is Gonna Come

Author: Duckypantz

**Disclaimer:** I just borrow the _Bones _characters for a little bit. There are only a few characters that I've created, so they are kinda mine, in theory.

**Author's Note: ****Thanks SO much for the reviews. You all are great. And thanks so much for being interested in reading this story… sometimes you just need a creative outlet and this is mine. THANKS! For those of you who do not sign in to review or disabled PMing… THANKS SO MUCH for reviewing!!!**

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Absolute quiet spread over the lab. Not the productive kind where busy squints were working to solve a case. This was a kind of vacuum of silence that comes on the heels of a comment no one was expecting to hear.

Jack Hodgins interrupted the terse silence by walking down from the lab platform to say, "Couldn't have been Cam. Sweets, Zach and I saw her on a date on Friday. We were at Saint-Ex on U Street. Sweets and I were hanging out with some of his friends and we ran into Cam on a very cozy date. Did you know that that place turns into a club of sorts in the basement? It's an all around full service place. All it needs to be 100% full service is to have a hotel upstairs, so you could eat, drink, dance and then go upstairs to sleep. Wouldn't that be convenient, Sweets?"

"Hodgins, are you talking about the fact that Dr. Sweets tried to go home with a young woman on early Saturday morning but didn't because she couldn't go back to his place since his parents are in town visiting and he couldn't go to her place because she shared her room with another girl?" Zach asked. The entire group looked away from one another, trying not to make eye contact or else they would laugh.

Sweets turned red and started to stutter, but stopped himself, took a breath and said, "That's right. We did see Dr. Saroyan. We left before she did, and that was around 2-2:30am. So she couldn't have broken in at 1am."

"Obviously none of us thought that Cam had broken in to the Jeffersonian to steal Bones' manuscript. The real issue is how her ID card was stolen and given back to her without her notice." Booth stated emphatically.

Like watching a tennis match, everyone looked from Booth and swiveled around to look at Cam for a reply. "I have no idea how someone could steal my card, use it, and get it back into my possession without my notice."

Sweets asked, "Did you check for your card any time between when you left the office on Friday and when you reached into your purse on Monday morning for the card?"

Cam stopped and thought a bit. "Now, well, not to my knowledge. I had a rather busy weekend and surprisingly didn't come into the office over the weekend."

"Can you walk us through your schedule from when you left Friday evening through Monday morning, Dr. Saroyan?" Sweets asked.

"Suure. How about I go over where my stuff was? That's the most important thing right? Where the ID card is, right? Ok, so I go ready here to go on my date. I didn't leave it here or else I wouldn't have been able to get in the building on Monday morning." She paused, looking around, trying to think about where she had been.

"I took out all of the important stuff out of my purse and put that into my briefcase. But I left my briefcase here, in my office. But I kept my ID card with me. It's one of those clutch purses so I had to take out my favorite lip gloss to fit it...I never left my purse in public ever. I was holding it at dinner and while we were dancing..."

"I did leave my purse unattended when we got back to my place. I put it on my desk in my office. I used my purse whenever I left the condo...but only left it alone when I was at home."

Bren looked at Booth and nodded as he said, "I need to call Steve and send him over to Cam's." He hit Bren's desk with his fist. "Seriously, what is going on here?"

* * *

Separating the group up between those handling the break-in and those handling the body, everyone in the lab seemed calmer, as they were in their element in solving their assigned mystery.

Bren, Zach and Hodgins were finally able to start officially examining the body while Cam and Booth were placing calls and viewing security footage in conjunction with the break-in at the lab, the bugs in Brenan's condo and the probable break-in at Cam's place. Angela floated between the two groups, offering her expertise when needed.

There was a little bit of tissue left on the body, which itself was in pieces, so Cam had to suspend her work on the one case to start on the other. "There is severe damage to each ankle and wrist, suggesting that the victim was tied up and pulled by his appendages."

"Yes, that is congruent with the idea that the FBI techs came up with, that he was drawn, or dragged to where he was killed and then quartered." When Cam looked confused at Dr. Brennan's explanation, Bren continued, trying to make her explanation easier to understand. "My hypothesis is congruent with what the FBI techs said that the body was drawn and quartered. The body is in five pieces, in quartering the body is cut into four pieces and the head is removed from the body, creating five total pieces. It shouldn't have been called quartering because the end result should logically only be four pieces."

Bren stopped to take a breath and then continued, "Scholars debate whether or not drawn means to drag the body to where it will be hanged and quartered or whether it means to disembowel and emasculate, which then is burned before the person is given the death blow."

"Dr. Brennan, how do you know so much about this subject?" Cam asked.

"Well… I was doing research for my newest book. I wanted to learn about a wide spectrum of how to kill a person in order to decide how I wanted to kill some of the characters in my book."

"Interesting," Cam said with a bit more than a hint of sarcasm. "Well I can't yet verify that this man was hanged, since the body and head are not attached. I also need to spend more time on the examination before I can conclude whether or not his intestines and man parts were removed before he died. I'll need a bit more time with the flesh before you can clean the bones and do your own examination, Dr. Brennan."

"That's fine. We need to verify the methods of killing the man. I would like the head as soon as possible so that we can get an ID off of Angela's sketch. I'm sure as soon as Booth gets off the phone he is going to ask us for an…"

"Got an ID yet?" Booth asked as he swiped his card to get access to the lab platform.

"You two kind of make me sick. You know one another too well." Cam said with a shake of her head as she went back to the body.

"Wha?" Booth asked as he looked between Cam and Bren. "Anyway, Steve just got into Cam's apartment. We are going to play this search of Cam's condo the same way we searched Bones' place for bugs. Steve is going to dust for prints and sweep for bugs in stealth mode. If this perp has ears in Cam's place then we don't want him to be alerted. If he has eyes in her place, there is nothing we can do to prevent him from seeing Steve in Cam's place."

He stopped, being reminded by something he had just said. "Oh! I forgot to tell you, Bones. Steve didn't find any cameras in your place so our current plan of me moving in is still on."

Angela goggled, having walked up to hear the last bit of what Booth had said. "Booth is moving in to be your big bad FBI protector? Where can I get one?" she smiled. "I tried to run a missing persons report but since the parameters are so broad that there were too many potential victims. Do you have anything for me to use in missing persons?"

"The victim is in his twenties and is mixed race, partially Caucasian and Black. Until I get the head, I cannot say if there are any other race indicators. We haven't determined how long he has been dead, but he wasn't in that pond for more than 24-48 hours," Bren explained.

"Was he a floater?" Cam asked from across the platform.

"No, he hadn't been in the water long enough to absorb the water and float up to the surface of the little pond."

"Gross. Ok now I am going back to my happy place where I might be able to find the victim in the missing person database. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts."

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Ok, this is it. I need to just bite the bullet and do it. I don't want to, but you need to think about the long run, Seeley. Long run not short run. Short run is going to suck, but long run, you'll find out the one thing that has been bugging you recently. Just be casual. Say it's been a day and you really need a drink. Want to come with me, Hodgins? Oh my god. I sound like a girl. Thank goodness no one can hear my thoughts or I would be made fun of!

Booth walked over to Hodgins' station to see if the bug man had discovered anything from the particulates he took from the crime scene. "Found anything interesting yet? And before you answer, I mean anything I would find interesting."

"I am working on finding something interesting, or at least pertinent to your investigation. It takes some time to run these tests. I do know that the only body of water the victim was in was the pond on Congressional's course."

"Well that's good to know. I…" His phone interrupted what he was about to say.

"Booth…" he paused, waiting for a response.

"Uh huh.." again, he listened to the person on the other end of the line.

"You sure? Wait; are you out in the hallway?" "Ok, ok."

Booth paused, listening again. "Ok, thanks for being so stealthy. You'll bring everything over to the Jeffersonian…Thanks so much, Steve. See you in a bit."

Once Booth hung up the phone, he turned to Hodgins sharing the information he had just learned. "Steve dusted for prints around Cam's desk and swept for bugs. He didn't find a bug, but found that the lamp on Cam's desk had been moved and there was a sticky substance on the underside of the lamp. He's bringing it in for you to examine."

"How did he know to check under the lamp, especially if his sweep didn't turn up any bugs in the area?" Hodgins asked, interested.

"The lamp wasn't sitting exactly in the ring it had left on the desk. It was a little off…" _Ok Seeley, now or never. Just do it._ "Man, it has been a hell of a day."

"I know, right?" Hodgins responded.

"I am going to need a good stiff drink before I head over to Bones' condo to play guard. Want to join me for a drink at the usual place?"

"Really?" Hodgins asked, suspiciously. "You have never wanted to hang out with me outside of work."

"I'm broadening my horizons, just as long as we don't talk about conspiracy theories."

Hodgins stopped typing on his computer to look at Booth. "I guess that's fair. As long as you don't talk about how amazing this country and government are, I think we could actually enjoy ourselves."

"Enjoy ourselves doing what?" Sweets asked, interrupting the conversation.

Booth and Hodgins looked at one another. Booth answered, "Going to a Redskins preseason game. Hodgins had an extra ticket and mentioned it to me." He patted Sweets hard on the back, "Next time I'll let him take you instead of me. Unless it's against the Steelers or the Cowboys."

"Sure, sure. Have fun guys."

"So, when are you going to blow this popsicle stand?"

"Give me about 30 minutes."

"Perfect, that gives me enough time to talk to Bones about security and such for tonight."

Booth walked up to Bren's office, silently, sneaking up behind her in her desk chair and said, "Operation get Hodgins drunk is about to begin in t minus 30 minutes."

"Booth you scared me. Do you take some sort of perverse pleasure in sneaking up on me? You don't do it to anyone else."

"Eh, I like to see you jump. You lose the total brainiac façade that you normally have on. But more importantly, Hodgins and I are going to grab some drinks in a bit and I am going to find out what happened at Congressional all those years ago to get him kicked out." Booth looked supremely pleased with himself.

"Good luck."

"And then I am coming over to your house to spend the night. I have my in case of emergencies overnight bag in my car so I don't have to go home first. I don't like the idea of you being home alone with those bugs for any amount of time, but I don't feel safe with you alone here either."

"Booth I am fine. I can take care of myself and excellent hand-to-hand combat skills. I'm going to make dinner, so I guess I can make enough for you if you'd like?"

"Sure. What's it going to be?"

"Trust me, something you will like. I'll even buy some meat to put into your portion."

Booth put his arm around his partner's shoulders saying, "You are just too good to me sometimes."

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**Author's note: Hope you all keep up the fantabulous reviewing!!! Seriously this week has been horrible but you all have kept my spirits up!**


	7. Jack Daniels

Chapter Seven: Jack Daniels

Author: Duckypantz

**Disclaimer: **Can't afford _Bones_ or its characters, I just borrow the characters for a little bit. Any characters that are not from the show in the story are my creations and free for me to own . Like the idea of owning characters!

**Author's Note: **Thank you all SO much for all of the reviews. Thank you to all of those who are reviewing, especially those that I cannot PM…thanks! You all rock my world!

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"This is AWESOME!" Hodgins exclaimed as he and his team won another game of flip cup. He and Booth had arrived at the Pour House on Capitol Hill for a quality Happy Hour.

"Again! This is ridiculous. How are we not winning? We are amazing!" Booth said frustrated. _I hate losing. I absolutely hate losing. But this is totally working. Hodgins is well on his way to getting drunk. Just a few more games…_

Booth leaned across the table to Hodgins, "How are we young enough to play this?"

"Dude, I don't know. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. These girls are young and super cute, so don't throw salt on my game…" When Booth gave Hodgins a startled glance, Hodgins replied, "Too much? I heard one of Sweets' friends say it once. I wanted to try it out. Guess it didn't work?"

"Yeah not so much. Good try though. I won't tell anyone how you failed miserably."

"Ok, it's you and me Booth, you ready? Up, down, cheers and drink!" Hodgins cried as they started another game. Hodgins, like most of the other squints did not have much if any free time in his twenties to enjoy Happy Hours and meet people outside of his various PhD programs. He lived it up afterwards in the elite rich circles dating models and spending obscene amounts of money. But he had never done the living on a budget, going to Thirsty Thursdays where cans of beer were $1.00 a piece, and looking forward to the day all week for the amount of beer he could buy because it was so cheap.

They played another couple of games before Booth decided that they should break off on their own or else they would make fools of themselves by not keeping up with the younger Hill staffers. Hodgins was a bit of a lightweight when it came to chugging beer, so he was a bit worse for wear, perfect condition for Booth to learn about Congressional.

They moved away from the basement bar to the bar on the main floor. Since there were few guys as attractive as Booth and Hodgins at the bar, twenty something women kept interrupting Booth's attempts to find out what got Hodgins kicked out of Congressional.

"Hey guys, do you know what the score of the football game?" Two very attractive young women asked as they walked up to Booth and Hodgins' table.

"The Ravens are ahead by a field goal. It's almost the end of the first quarter," Booth answered offhand, not really paying attention to either woman.

Hodgins looked at Booth, surprised that the FBI agent wasn't checking out the girls that were clearly trying to hit on them. He turned his gaze to the young women and smiled. "So you all are football fans?"

The shorter of the two women answered, "Well, yeah. I really got into it last year because I am from Baltimore and the Ravens went pretty far last year… I mean the team normally does well, at least from what I've heard, because their defense is super tight, but because of Flacco and his rookie season, the offense might now have a chance."

"Sounds like you know a lot more about football than just a little," Hodgins flirted.

"She went to Delaware with Joe," her friend explained, leaning in to Hodgins.

The ladies flirted with the twosome for a bit before Booth decided that he wasn't going to be able to get any information out of Hodgins while the two women were hanging around, and since Hodgins seemed quite interested in both women. So Booth took one for the team and decided to be a good wingman. It couldn't hurt, right? Maybe get a few more drinks in Hodgins to get the story out of the bug man.

"You guys want to get shots?" One of the girls asked. "I'll pay!" Without waiting for an answer, she went to the bar to get the shots. Booth and Hodgins just looked at one another and shrugged, why not?

After a few more rounds of shots, Booth was almost as worse for wear as Hodgins was. _I don't even know if I'll remember that story that I want him to tell me. Crap, I am going to have to call Bones to pick my ass up. _

The women who had been keeping them company had left because the game and happy hour was over, so the two collegues were left in their own company, with a mountain of nachos.

"So, Hodgins," Booth said unintelligibly, since his mouth was full of food. "Uh, hey, I think I am going to regret this in the morning. Hangovers get much harder as I get older."

"I know I know. Eh, at least you do not have to deal with particulates from a waterlogged dead body. Tomorrow is going to smell fantastic." Hodgins cheers-ed to himself.

"I do not envy you in the slightest. I mean a lot of today was difficult for you. You had to go to Congressional and get the run around because of something you did as a teenager and because of going back there, I am sure you are reliving that whole incident too."

"Yeah. I would love reliving what I did, if I hadn't gotten caught. It was one of my first real brilliant adventures. I stood up to the man, in more ways than one and it was great because I got the girl, for a short period of time, but I still got her. I was a bad boy for all of 48 hours. It was exhausting."

Booth wiggled his eyebrows, "So you were a bad boy, huh? What did you do to get that status? Man I wish I could have ever pulled off the bad boy thing. I just could never do it."

"Man, it was great. I had planned this all out. Seriously, I thought I could maintain this nerdy, plan out my bad boy prank, but never let on how much I planned it."

Booth interrupted Hodgins, impatiently asking, "So dude, what did you do? I am dying to know!"

"Well I have to tell you this backstory," Hodgins started, his eyes half open. Booth thought, _I better get this out of him soon before he passes out or something._ "I really liked this girl, Kady Carlson, she was beautiful; petite, magnolia flower of a girl, coming from Georgia. She had a cute little accent and looked so composed whenever I saw her at the club, a perfect Daddy's girl. Her father was the majority leader of the Senate. The family was kinda a big deal in the inside the beltway social circles."

Hodgins paused to take a long drink from his can of Strongbow. "Man you should really try some of this, it's good stuff. I remember spending a year in Edinburgh, Scotland and I loved going to the pub switching between having Strongbow on draft to the perfectly pulled extra cold Guinness…"

"Hodgins! You are in the middle of a story. No tangents. FOCUS!"

"Calm down dude. Ok, so this girl was all Jekyll and Hyde. She was such a Daddy's girl whenever we were at social events with adults, but then when it was just us teens, she was a wild child, trying anything at least once, if you know what I mean, and ran around with the bad crowd and the future inmates with trust funds. She never noticed me. She was always polite, but never noticed."

"Totally not worth your time then!" Booth said, forgetting his place as a passive listener instead of a buddy listening to the woes his drinking partner has with women.

"So I knew she liked bad boys, and she hated her father, so guys who could really piss off her father were her favorites. So I started this plan by being vocal about her father's policies. Letting her know that I didn't like her father was just the start of things. While I wasn't necessarily the stud of high school, I wasn't a loser, so I knew the whole power structure between men and women, so I didn't want to let her know that I was doing this entire elaborate plan to make her notice me… but to make her think that I hated her father and his politics so much, and she was just an afterthought. That's what girls who like bad boys are like. They are used to being put second or third, and being disrespected. So I certainly did not want her to get the impression that this was all about her, because then I would lose her before I even got her. Ya know?"

"Man, did you even take a breath during that whole speech? That was a lot of words. But I think I got the gist of it. Yeah, women are complicated. Continue." Booth took a sip of his draft.

"OK, so I made this elaborate plan that actually really really upset my dad so that was a major plus. Not just getting thrown out of the club, but also was ruining a huge deal with the Senator, Kady's dad. So clearly golf is a big thing at Congressional. And my dad played with Kady's dad frequently, but I had heard about my dad arranging a big rollers game with Kady's dad and a lot of other high rollers. So my plan was really intricate."

As if to give himself courage, took another pull from his Strongbow. "Let's just say it involved feces, ruining a lot of cars, and pretty much destroying the 18th hole at Congressional for about a week. Kady's dad was trying to bury this bill that had something to do with better conditions for cows in slaughterhouses, so using that, I got a bunch of cow manure, soaked it in water to get really messy, put all the cars of the men who were playing golf that day with my dad and the Senator…"

"But I didn't just go for the obvious and have the feces visible to the naked eye. I had the stuff under the seats, under the foot mats and in the trunk of the car under the mat and in the spare tire well. I changed all their wiper fluid with red dye. I was going to be more obvious and shred their tires, but I wanted to not get caught."

"Since they were all high rollers in the golf game, Congressional agreed to shut down the course that they were playing on, for privacy issues of course, which was perfect for me. This was a little harder to do. The 18th hole can easily be seen from the clubhouse, so I had to be very covert in my destruction of the hole. I set up little cherry bombs all over the 18th green that would explode on my mark, spewing feces all over whoever was on the green. I also rigged the sprinklers to go off after the bombs went off to spray coyote piss all over the men on the green. I couldn't get cow piss… didn't want to manually get it myself so I went to a hardware store that sold the coyote stuff, which is crystallized and used to ward off deer from coming into people's gardens. So I hydrated it in the sprinkler system and BAM!"

"I ruined the 18th green by drying it out so badly and making it smell horribly, I covered all those senators, Washington insiders and my dad in utter filth, and made a great name for myself. Unfortunately, I wasn't fast enough, so when I set off one of the poo-bombs, I got caught in the crossfire and covered. It was gross."

"Obviously I wanted credit for it, so that Kady would find out, but I didn't want to get in that kind of trouble. I was almost sent to jail. Luckily my family has the kind of money it does so the only real punishment I got was that I was never allowed to set foot on Congressional Country Club's grounds ever again. Neither would my future wife and children. And I hadn't, until today."

"Man. That's incredible. I can't believe you were badass enough to try to take on the man. And you almost got away with it. Did you do it all by yourself?"

"Planned and executed with no help from anyone. It was pretty hardcore. I also got a good video of the whole incident, with these really important men running around and screaming like little girls as their golf outfits got ruined. Kinda priceless."

"You'd think since some of them had been soldiers that they wouldn't react so girly to poo being thrown on them. Wusses.."

"Yeah, I know. So I got Kady for like a second before she realized how not a bad boy I was…. Couldn't hold my liquor when she took me to a party the next day… I kinda told her I was in love with her. Clearly not something a bad boy would say. So she ditched me as quickly as possible."

"You know what? Screw her!"

"Dude, I didn't get the chance!"

"That's not what I mean. You know what? I think we need another round of shots, on me, to celebrate your first time sticking it to the government. Not that I think you should ever do it again, I will arrest you if that happens, but it was for a girl. Irish car bombs!" Booth said as he pushed off the chair to go to the bar. His legs didn't quite support him, so he stumbled a little bit but regained his balance, looked around sheepishly, and straightened his tie.

"To trying to win the girl!" They cheers-ed and downed the Irish Car Bombs.

After the chugged the Baileys and Guinness mixture, they both looked at one another as if to say, 'That was a bad idea.'

"I am going to have to take a cab home… It's going to cost a fortune!" Hodgins whined.

"Dude, you are rich. I think you can handle it. I have to call Bones to pick me up… since I'm staying with her."

He dialed Bren's home number and waited, humming to a song that was playing in his head. "Bo_o_nes! Pick up the Phone!"

"Hello?"

"Bones! Hey! How are you doing?"

"Booth, are you drunk?"

"Maybe just a little bit. I definitely can't drive. Can you come pick me up?"

Bren looked down at her attire. "I guess so. Just give me a minute to change."

"Don't worry about changing, you're just going to drive over here to pick me up. That's it. Nothing more."

Bren laughed, "Sure, Booth. I am on my way. I'll call you when I get there."

"Great!" He and Hodgins went to grab some more drinks before his partner, best friend and ride got there.

* * *

Bren arrived 15 minutes later and was waiting outside of the bar in her car. She had been calling Booth since she had been a few blocks away, but he hadn't answered. "I swear if he doesn't pick up this time I am going to just leave him here… GRRRR I can't do that." She put the car in park, turned it off and hopped out.

She walked up to the bouncer and told him that she was trying to get her friend to answer his phone so that he'd come outside so she could drive him home. He let her in and she entered the bar in her pjs and bunny slippers. Her pjs consisted of a wife beater and short shorts, not much covering her, so everyone who was left in the bar noticed her when she walked in.

Booth saw this pretty lady in very little clothing walk through the front door and he whistled in a low tone. _Now that is what I am talking about. None of these barely legal Hill Staffers, I like my women real, like this one. Wait, why is she wearing bunny slippers?_

Bren caught sight of Booth and waved, rushing over to his table. "Booth, I've been calling you for the past 5 minutes. How have you not heard your phone?"

"Was on vibrate. That's what feeling was. Can you call again? That felt good." He smiled.

"No. Let's take Hodgins outside, get him a taxi and you into the car."

To the bartender she said, "Did they settle up?" When he nodded yes, she took both of her wards by the arm and dragged them outside.

They got Hodgins into a cab without any trouble but Booth was proving more difficult, and he was much heavier than Hodgins, so Bren couldn't physically get him into the car by herself.

"Booth come on, let's go."

"I was having fun. Why did you take away my fun?"

"How about I take you somewhere fun, right now?"

"We could go have fun together?"

"Yes. Now get in the car." He started being compliant and allowed her to guide him into the low-slung car. He was going to hit his head so she leaned in and put her hand on top left side of his head that was about to hit the frame of the car. To avoid collision she brought his head closer to her body, away from the top of the car, as she guided his head down and away from the doorframe. He took it as an invitation to rest his head against her chest, the closest part of her body to him.

He said, "Mmm, that's nice." And nestled his head more deeply against her chest.

Her eyes widened as she felt his breath right on her nipple, which tightened quickly in response. She took a step back quickly but caught his head before it hit anything and just pushed him into the car, bumps and bruises be damned.

Once she got into the car herself, Booth looked over with a cheesy grin and said, "Is that the kind of fun we are going to have more of tonight?"

**

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**Author's note: Another chapter down. I hope you liked Hodgins' story and the little B&B action. Please review and tell me what you think!**


	8. Fever

Chapter Eight: Fever

Author: Duckypantz

**Disclaimer: **Can't afford _Bones_ or its characters… I just need something to tide me over before the next season starts…woot that's coming up! And for a great reviewer…No Starbucks Card… but got the elixir of life (latte) this morning and do have one of those receipts that allows me to get a cheapo iced drink after 2 pm! I'm sure you all wanted to know that!

**Author's Note: **Thank you all SO much for all of the reviews. You all rock my world! I wish I could PM everyone… but some of you don't have PM capabilities!

_

* * *

_

This is kind of ridiculous,

Bren thought as she drove Booth back to her place. _He is rip-roaring drunk and getting a little touchy. A lot touchy, in fact._

"Bo_o_nes! When am I gonna get to do fun stuff? I mean something really exciting! I already noticed that you got a little excited back there…" He paused. "Thin shirt." He explained.

_Are you KIDDING ME? Now he wants to talk about sex and such. Good LORD!_ "Booth, don't you think that if someone got her face very close to your sexual organs, you would react?"

Booth had a total vivid mental picture of Bones pulling the car over and acting out exactly what she had just said. He could feel himself reacting to just the suggestion of the act, and couldn't imagine what the actual act would have done to him. "Huh? Oh, I don't even need that to happen in order for me to react. Suggestion is good enough for me, Bones." _Did I just say that out loud? Crap, I need to stop drinking. _

Bren laughed internally. She could use this. "So, you are now thinking about me and my face being near your uh, package?"

"So now you are uncomfortable talking about sex or sexual interactions now?"

"No, I was just trying to use a more colloquial term instead of penis." Booth started coughing as soon as he heard the golden word from Bren's mouth. _Yet another incredibly vivid mental image of Bones, her mouth and my… I can't think about that. She is not allowed to say that word. I am not allowed to think about her, me and any actions that do not involve working on cases or eating… Eating pie off of her… _"NO!" Booth yelled.

Bren swerved the car, almost hitting a parked car. She slowed down and looked at Booth as if he had grown three more heads. "What did you do that for? We were almost in an accident because of your exclamation. Why, what, seriously give me a good reason as to why you yelled," she demanded.

"I was just, uh, picturing something I shouldn't be."

"What?" Bren asked, getting a little curious, but sounding mad.

"Nothing…" When Bren put the car into park and crossed her arms in front of her chest, Booth sighed. He didn't have enough mental capacities or functioning brain cells to combat an angry Bones.

"I uh, had a mental image. Uh, Bones, I really don't want to share this with you… ok ok. It was of us, in a delicate uh, interaction."

"Having sex?"

"Uh, well heavy petting. Can we not talk about this? Someone is starting to expect things that won't happen," he pleaded, motioning down to his… reaction.

* * *

Hodgins had barely gotten into the taxi when he thumbed open his cell phone. The screen was a little hard for him to read, but he was trying very hard to focus on the keypad when he suddenly remembered that he had the number that he wanted to call on speed dial.

He hit the number 2 and held the phone up to his ear, "ANGELA!!! Hi. How are you?"

"Hodgins?" Angela asked as she cracked open one eye to look at the clock on her bedside table. She had gone to bed early to catch up on some sleep after a long hard weekend of drinking and dancing. _I must be getting old if it takes me almost a week to recover from a crazy weekend._

"Yeah! How are you doing? Booth took me out to a happy hour. We played flip cup with some hill staffers. It was fun."

"You and Booth went out together? Was Bren there?"

"Nope, just me and Booth."

_Interesting. I wonder why Booth would take Hodgins out for drinks… eh he's drunk, I wonder if he knows… _"Why did you all decide to go out on a… Thursday?"

"Yeah, he wanted to know why I had gotten kicked out of Congressional and I told him that I would have to get wasted before I would tell him."

"You love telling that story. Why did you tell him you had to be drunk to tell him?"

"Eh, was bored and didn't have anything else to do this evening. And I knew he would want to know today because he's so nosey, so I made it up."

"I can't believe he believed you."

"I can lie to The Man when I need to." The way he said the man, he meant the government and not some pet name for Booth.

She laughed lowly. "I am quite impressed. He is normally so good at telling when people are lying."

"He was toooooo interested in learning the story, that he hadn't been focused on the right things."

"Been drinking a lot, Hodge?"

"Maybs."

"Being evasive?" She teased.

"Obviously! So Ange, whacha doing?"

"Trying to sleep. Went to bed early to finally shake this tiredness that I caused by living it up last weekend," she said as she sat up in bed, leaning back against the headboard.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's ok. I couldn't sleep anyway. I was just tossing and turning."

"My favorite Angela is the one that's all soft from sleep with the wild bed head. When she's all cuddly and warm." He smiled at the mental image.

A warm smile spread across her face. "My favorite Jack is the one right after he comes back from a run. When he's all sweaty and just alive with energy and endorphins. That's when you can smell Jack's unique scent the strongest; not smelly B.O. type smelling, but the innate and singularly Jack smell."

They were both quiet for a moment. They hadn't had such an open, honest conversation with one another since they had ended their relationship months earlier.

Hodgins broke the silence, "Hey Angie, what would you say to me coming over?"

Angela smiled as she responded, "What took you so long to ask?"

"Look out your window." As she did, she noticed that he was outside and somehow, at this time of the night, gotten a long stemmed peach colored rose.

Closing the phone, she leaned out the window and beckoned him to come into her building. _I've missed you…_ she thought as she prepared herself for his arrival.

* * *

Bones snorted and blushed as she went over the conversation she had had with Booth in the car. _Seriously! Seriously. He…referred to…I can't believe I am embarrassed to think about this. Probably because it's Booth and his uh reactions to sexual interactions._ She put her head in her hands, a little uncomfortable going over the past 20 minutes in her head. _I am all bluster. As soon as I get alone I am blushing like a virgin. This is ridiculous. I can talk about sex, why can't I think about it? Because of Booth. Because I am thinking about Booth and sex, with me. Oh goodness! This is, awkward? I think that's the appropriate word to use in this situation. _

Once Booth had mentioned his reaction to their conversation, Bren had acted like a skittish filly and changed the subject faster than a sober Booth would have. _I bet I could have asked him about role playing in his current state of drunkenness, not arousal. Stop thinking about that!_

Bren had set a quite drunk Booth on a chair while she helped him get out of his gun holster and jeans, as he was quietly explaining what he was going to do that upcoming weekend, if he could survive the hangover that he was definitely going to have tomorrow…

To Bren's recollection, Booth was going to go to the Redskinned football game. But she knew that the name of the team or the type of football was wrong. She didn't really care all that much, she was just glad he was being very agreeable to being put to bed in her 2nd bedroom, that had a nice daybed that Booth would probably hate, due to its femininity, but it was the only place he should and would go. Booth was being a quiet agreeable drunk, talking very quietly and hopefully his voice didn't carry to the bugs in her apartment. She had turned on her iPod that was plugged into a Bose speaker just in case.

Bren had just finished washing her face, brushing her teeth and hair, applying lotion and pulling up her tall socks, to keep her feet and calves moisturized throughout the night. She had gotten into bed and immediately turned out the light. She kept the music on, since it was in her room, but turned down the music and put it on a sleep timer. _Classical music can be so soothing. It puts me into the right mood to slide into slumber_, Bren thought as she heard a creak outside in the hall. She paused, craning her neck to hear if there was going to be another sound too. _Booth out of bed?_

All of a sudden she heard a rush of socked footsteps that stopped on the opposite side of the bed from the side she was curled up on. She felt cold air on her back as the comforter was lifted up. A large body slid into the bed next to her._ Booth_, she thought as she didn't even look over because she could smell his cologne, deodorant, or simply the smell of Booth.

Booth mumbled, "I was cold. And it was lonely in there." He curled into Bren. _Freezing feet, Booth! _Bren thought and was glad she didn't exclaim, due to the bugs…

They fell asleep, with Booth spooning Bren, and a smile on both of their faces.

* * *

Somewhere nearby, a man pounded the key board in exasperation. "She's fucking him!" he screamed. "I guess I am going to have to alter my plans… Follow her book she says… Temperance will notice you, she says… Well who did she bring home with her, me? Or HIM?" On the monitor of his computer was a clear picture of two figures huddled together in a big bed, blissfully asleep and unaware of their audience.

**

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**

Author's note: Sorry this is shorter than normal. I wanted to get it out as quickly as I could… and before I start Dreamfever… a great book that just came out today! You all should read it. I'll be stuck in the world of Karen Marie Moning… until I finish her newest book. Actually I am listening to the 3

**rd**** book (Faefever) right now, so maybe it gave me some inspiration when I wrote this chapter ********… I can't wait to read your reviews on this chapter. I haven't done lovey dovey or pseudo raunchy stuff before… please tell me if it works!!! Then I'll definitely do more!**


	9. Dream

Chapter Nine: Dream

Author: Duckypantz

Disclaimer: Can't afford Bones or its characters… I just need something to tide me over before the next season starts…woot that's coming up! And for a great reviewer…No Starbucks Card… but one of my bosses bought me Starbucks yesterday!!! Wohoo!

Author's Note: Thank you all SO much for all of the reviews. They seriously make my week! Because of you all, I am taking a break from the new book I've been waiting for all year, just to write this! Sorry this has taken so long to write… rl gets in the way and I am so sick! Who gets the flu in the summer? Seriously?!? Oh and this first scene is totally thanks to Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning… you all should check out the fever series if you haven't done so… great stuff.

* * *

In that strange space between still asleep and not quite awake, Booth was forming thoughts, but he was neither all there nor all in dreamland. His thoughts were more basic and less Booth personality. He was aware of his surroundings through his sense of touch and smell, but couldn't quite connect his thoughts to form coherent pictures in his mind.

_I'm very comfortable. I'm warm, no I'm hot. I have this warm body pressed against me, the little spoon to my big spoon. She smells… familiar, comforting, and intoxicating. This is one I want, have wanted for a while. Have I had her? Did we consummate our relationship last night? Why am I so fuzzy?_

Booth instinctively reaches for his bed partner, while he is still asleep and touches her in a way he would have never dared to during waking hours. Bren, deep in her REM cycle incorporates Booth and his touches into her dream, her erotic dream that brings a feral smile to her lips. Her body responds to the touches before her mind can even process how real her amazing dream is seeming.

Heat to heat, the pair drift closer to one another as they continue to touch. Through layers of clothing one grows hard while the other gets softer and wetter. It is the timeless dance, but with an air of innocence as if they are both acting out their dreams with one another, but not realizing that the dreams are in fact reality. The only barriers between them and complete intimacy is the almost miniscule amount of clothing each one is wearing.

Their breathing grows shorter and louder, both gasping for breath as they move together. Each one's breathing gets more labored as they both reach for that ultimate goal. Their movements are frenetic now as that goal is closing in on both Bones and Booth. Together they are taking each other there, neither could stop this momentum that they have built, even if they tried. When the feelings got so intense that they would break the spell of sleep, the partners simultaneously hit their peaks and slid boneless, back into the dark abyss of dreaming.

* * *

Across town, Angela was slowly waking up to someone stroking her arm.

"Mmmm. That feels nice."

"You feel nice," Hodgins responded. "You up for…?"

"Well I know you are up for it." She smiled as she rolled over on top of him and they spent 45 minutes waking up.

* * *

Afterwards, they were panting, sweating and smiling at one another.

"That… was… the best way to wake up!"

"Agreed," Angela responded. "Now I don't have to do my morning yoga. That certainly… woke me up and…stretched me out in a much better way that yoga could have."

Hodgins smiled. "What can I say? I live to serve."

He didn't say anymore. He didn't want to be the one to start the DTR (define the relationship) conversation. They had been, for lack of a better/classier term, booty calling one another consistently for the last month. Between all the cases that they'd had at work and Angela, Hodgins hadn't had time to date anyone else. He wasn't sure that was the case with Angela, but she wasn't the type to have multiple partners without informing them that she wasn't monogamous.

While Angela was a very emotional and sensual woman, she was also extremely respectful of her bed partners. She'd had enough and been through enough pregnancy and STD scares to make sure that on at least her end everyone was safe and good to go. What Angela didn't quite realize is that she was much more like her best friend Bren, at least when it came to the baser urges of sex, than she realized.

Angela had been looking at Hodgins through the silence, trying to read his eyes and get a glimpse into his thoughts. She bounced on the bed, in a playful mood, trying to get her lover out of his deep thinking.

"What do you want for breakfast? I am feeling quite domestic this morning." Angela hopped off the bed, comfortable with her nudity as she did not even bother to put on a robe.

"I am game for pretty much anything. Especially if I can get you back into bed before work…" Hodgins joked, with a wolfish smile. He would never get enough of her, even if they spent the next eternity together, but he knew how to bide his time until she was ready to accept the fact that they were more than just coworkers or lovers.

"I don't know about bed, but I know I certainly need to take a shower. Want to waste water with me after we fuel up?"

"I love making people who try to go green to go to the dark side of resource wasting… makes me hot!" Hodgins joked.

"Yeah, I'm the one who has an electric car…"

"I got it for free. That's what happens when you own 75% of the free world and all of the, I guess, not free world." He gave an evil laugh.

"Suure, Jack, sure. I believe you. You are just a softy underneath everything," she said as she led him to the shower.

They were definitely going to waste a lot of water and be very late for work.

* * *

Booth woke up slowly, and tried to open his eyes, but the blinding brightness of the room made him shut them quickly. His head was spinning. Something is wrong with me. Oh. I'm hungover. Crap. Today is going to suck. He thought as he brought his hand up to shield his eyes from the bright room. The lights were still off, which helped a little, but not much as the room was east facing and got a lot of sun in the early morning.

My room doesn't face east…Booth thought as he opened his eyes and saw Bones asleep curled up into him. No wonder I was so warm, she is like a freakin heater. I should tease her about cuddling up to me when she wakes up. Booth slowly disentangled his limbs from Bren's and looked down at himself. He was dressed in boxers and a wife-beater, and tried to remember getting down to his skivvies before he went to bed the night before. It was a shock to the former sniper that he couldn't remember last night after Hodgins' story about Congressional. He smiled, at least I got that out of him and I remember it!

Booth rolled over and got out of bed, slowly stretching. He scratched his chest and belly, peering down at his "little" friend who always wakes up at alert. He looked around to Bren to see if she was awake and possibly seeing his morning reaction. Luckily for Booth, she was softly snoring, still quite asleep.

Booth decided to hop in the shower before Bren woke up, and maybe he could deal with his morning wood. He padded down to the guest bathroom, turned on the shower, and shut the bathroom door. As he was pulling down his boxers, he noticed that they were a little sticky.

What did I do? Booth thought as his face turned red. I haven't had one of those dreams since I was 13! He thought, mortified. But he realized that the boxers were sticky on the outside and inside of his boxers. He couldn't think of how he had gotten stuff on the outside of his boxers.

Technically, he wore boxer briefs, so there was no normal opening like regular boxers have. He liked them because they didn't bunch up in his pants like boxers did because they were so loose.

Booth looked around, not that anyone would be in the bathroom with him, but he felt guilty and a little creepy for doing this, but he sniffed his boxer briefs because they smelled different from what he is used to smelling. _I feel like such a perve doing this… but smells like me on the inside. Definitely does not smell like me on the outside. Smells more exotic, earthier, Bones?_

While Booth was in the guest bathroom dealing with his boxers, Bren was stretching awake in her bed. The shower turning on in the guest bathroom had woken her up, but she wasn't ready to get out of bed just yet. Those first five minutes in the morning when she just stretched out in bed were her favorite of the day. No responsibilities, no dead bodies, nothing but warmth and softness. The possibilities for the day were endless and all good ones, at least from the comfort of just waking up in a warm, comfy cocoon of down comforter.

_I know Booth was here last night, and I know he came in to bed within a few minutes of me getting him into the guest bedroom. I also remember this deliciously sensual dream last night. Never have I had a dream where I've orgasmed. Normally I wake up right before I come… but last night I went all the way. I can even feel it in my panties, still wet. Best time to take a shower, especially since Booth is doing the same._ She got up and was about to turn on her shower when she remembered about the bugs in her place. She couldn't turn on a second shower without alerting the stalker that there were two people at her place!

Figuring that Booth had forgotten about the bugs, she crept down the hallway to the guest bathroom and quietly opened the door. Booth was in the shower and quietly humming to himself. She could see through the glass shower door that his eyes were closed as he was humming and washing his hair. She definitely took a moment to observe her partner. _He certainly is quite a male specimen…_

"Booth!" Bren whispered.

"Ah!" He squeaked in response, dropping the soap and trying to cover himself in the process of picking up the lost soap.

"Quiet! I just wanted to remind you about the bugs! I almost turned on my shower when I remembered. I figured after the night you had, you wouldn't remember our plan and the idea to catch him by letting him think we haven't found the bugs!"

"Bones, can you please just not look?" He asked, embarrassed. "Turn around… Ok, thanks for the reminder, I didn't remember, but I was quiet anyway, because I didn't want to wake you up. Now once I'm done in the shower, I'll just leave it on for you to take your shower. Think you can find us some coffee while I finish?"

"Sure." She said and walked quietly to the kitchen. As she passed her front hallway, she noticed someone had slid a manila envelope under her door. She padded to her purse to grab a pair of latex gloves and placed them on her hands.

She turned the envelope over, looking for stains or anything that could tell her what the contents were without opening it. She leaned a hip against the counter in her kitchen as she sniffed the envelope and lightly felt it for any physical markers to tell her what was inside.

When she decided that there was only a document or piece of paper inside the envelope, due to thickness and weight, she took a letter opener to slice open the envelope. Inside was a picture taken of her and Booth, in bed last night. The shot seem to have come from the foot of the bed, as if someone had stood over them while they slept.

They were spooned together, and it was difficult for Bren to discern where she began and Booth ended. If it hadn't been them, and the picture hadn't been taken by foul means, she would have said it was cute…

She slowly turned over the picture and on the back, there was a message for her that said,

Temperance, I'm watching you. And he is not good enough for you, no one is. Don't worry, I'll take care of him…

* * *

**Author's Note: Not going to lie, kinda creeped myself out there… just my luck for writing at night… please don't forget to review!!! This was a way different chapter for me than the others, I definitely want to know if you all thought it was successful or not!!**


	10. Heal Over

Chapter Ten: Heal Over

Author: Duckypantz

Disclaimer: Can't afford Bones or its characters… I just need something to tide me over before the next season starts…Roomie bought my Starbucks today! Wonder who I can get to buy it tomorrow? Can tomorrow please not be Monday??? You know, unless I don't have to work...

Author's Note: Thank you all SO much for all of the reviews. They seriously make my week! Especially because I've been sick...

* * *

Bren waited quietly in the kitchen, while Booth finished his shower. She was holding a mug of coffee and slightly swaying back and forth when Booth came into the kitchen, rubbing his hair with a towel.

"What's up?" Booth mouthed.

Bren looked worriedly away and then passed him the picture. Once he took it in his hands, she busied herself with making him a cup of coffee just the way he likes it: a little sugar and a splash of 2% milk. To appear like the alpha male at work, he takes his coffee strong and black, but then doctors it once he's in the confines of his own office.

Booth started pacing as he flipped the picture over to see what was written on the back. His mouth tightened as he mulled over this new facet of the case. The stalker just went way beyond personal. And Steve missed the fact that the stalker not only had ears but obviously had eyes in Bones' apartment, more specifically in her room and of her bed.

Booth felt like punching a wall. He wanted to scream in frustration. He wanted to forget all about his FBI badge and morals to go medieval on this stalker's ass. _No one can put that look on Bones' face. I won't stand for it. What are we going to do? Can't get ready at the Jeffersonian. My place is probably out until I get my people to check it out. The Hoover Building! That's where we'll go. She doesn't need to pack. She's definitely loaded enough to buy new stuff. We don't want to alert this psycho to the fact that we are on to him… but he seems one step ahead of us. Can I protect her? I need to protect her. _

Booth grabbed a legal pad off of Bren's desk and began writing. He had a germ of a plan, but it came together when he started writing. They were going to talk about spending the weekend at his place. She was going to pack a bag of essentials, but they were going to have people watching both his and her places, his today during work to see if the guy did anything, and hers during the weekend to see if he leaves her any gifts and to remove the "eyes and ears" from her apartment.

"Do you think this has to do with the break-in at the Jeffersonian?" She asked quietly. When he nodded yes, she responded, "Then it has something to do with my book…"

_CRAP! Completely forgot about her book. Changing agendas. Still going to get her out of here as quickly as I can. Relocate. Find that copy of the book she gave me. It's in my car. Read it. see if there is any clue there. I am too flustered. Ok, this can't hit too close to home. I won't let it. Just like any other case. Get in the game Booth, get your head in the game!_

During his inter-monologue, Bren finished the note from Booth and started gathering up clothing for their "weekend away."

"Booth?" Bren questioned invitingly. "Which nightie should I bring?" Booth's head came up and he cocked it to the side as if to physically say _I get to see in your lingerie drawer?_

When he stepped into her room she leaned into him to whisper, "He has rifled through my lingerie. I think I know where the camera is."

He responded, kissing her on the cheek to keep up the act, "I don't think you'll need any nightclothes, to be perfectly honest. But I am ready to start this weekend as soon as possible. How about we get you to work so we can finish the day early."

"Ok," she said as he took her weekend bag out of her hand. They perused the condo for anything that Bren needed if she were going to be away for a little while. She grabbed a few notes off of her desk and they headed out of her condo, Bren still in her pjs and Booth in his rumbled suit from the night before.

* * *

Booth was spread out on Bren's office couch reading her draft of the latest book. Bren and the rest of the squints were on the platform examining the body that they had collected yesterday at the golf course. Even though there was a lot going on, the case was still in the forefront of everyone's minds; everyone except for Booth. Bones' safety was the most important thing to him.

Booth just got to the part of Bren's book when the first body is introduced. The similarities between that body and the one he and Bones found at Congressional Country Club were quite astounding. Before he jumped to any conclusions, he stopped reading and went up to the platform to listen to the findings the squints had about the body. If the similarities went beyond coincidental, then he'd start jumping to conclusions.

"Particles found in the internal organs do not match those in the rest of the body, so the internal organs were definitely separated from the body and kept somewhere else. I'll let you know where or with what as soon as I run some more tests," Hodgins said as he walked over to his station.

"So my original hypothesis of the drawing and quartering of the body was correct. King of the Lab!" Zach exclaimed.

"Damn brilliant kid…" Hodgins remarked, without heat in his voice.

"Good job, Zach, but we still need to find a cause of death as well as get a timeline for this torture for the victim." Cam responded.

* * *

"The internal organs were removed from the body and put in a cardboard box. But I believe that there had been something else in that box." When Bren gave Hodgins the go ahead to continue, he paused to look at the computer before continuing.

"I am finding a different blood type on the outside shell of the liver. I assume that either the box had previously had something bloody in it or there was something else in that box with our victim's organs."

"Ok, ok. So Hodgins will test the blood and give a sample to Cam to run to see if there are any matches in Missing Persons or NCIC," Booth said, gaining confidence in the theories running around in his head.

"Bones, can you let Zach continue working on his own so that you can join me in your office?" _I need to tell her about her book and the connections with the body. _

As they walk into her office, Booth's cell rings. He answers and holds up one finger to Bren so that she'd wait until his call was over.

"You neutralize it? And everything is ok? Can you send a guy to Rebecca's house to keep an eye on Parker? If Howard Eppes can get to Parker, this guy could as well. He's much smarter."

"K, Bones. My guys checked my apartment and found a bomb. A big one, one that makes your fridge bomb look like a paper cut. Everything at my place is ok. They are going to check on Becca and Parker as well. We don't know how much he knows about me. It seems like he is just trying to hurt me because I am close to you."

"They aren't sure when the bomb was put at my place. He might have done it this morning, before the team got to my place or it might have been there for a while. There's another team at your place waiting to see if he shows up."

Booth put a comforting arm around Bren's shoulder, "I don't tell you all of this to upset you, I just don't want you to be left in the dark."

"Thanks, Booth. I know you want to protect me, it's in your alpha-male hard wiring. But I appreciate you keeping me in the loophole."

"Loop, Bones, loop."

"Yeah. That's what I said."

"Not quite, but ok. The other thing I wanted to tell you is that there isn't a bug in here, but they are still sweeping the platform. And I've been reading your book. It's good, but you knew that. But this guy, if it's the same guy who is stalking you or there are two guys just hitting at the same time, but this guy is copying your book." He paused, looking anguished.

"I don't know how. The timeline doesn't add up 100%. He stole the draft of your book last week. He must have either had an idea of what you were doing in your book, either by the notes you have at home or something. Because the murder happened either shortly after stealing the draft or all within a few hours."

"I knew there was something that sounded familiar with this victim but I didn't want this déjà vu to cloud my judgment with the objectivity of my work with the victim and finding out everything I could to get the killer, from the evidence." She paused. She'd been speaking so quickly, due to nerves, that she wasn't making complete rational sense, like normal.

"So that other blood Hodgins found?" She asked, with a little fear in her voice.

"I hope it's not true, but I think it might be… the second victim, just like in your book. Avenel Country Club should be calling at any moment."

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry for the shorter chapter. I'll make it up to you all...Thanks so much for reading! Sorry I've been behind on PMing people who have reviewed. I figured you all would rather get a chapter soon than just a thanks response. But as soon as I put this up on I am PMing you all!! PLEASE REVIEW!**


	11. Between the Lines

Chapter Eleven: Between the Lines

Author: Duckypantz

Disclaimer: Can't afford Bones or its characters… It's pretty much September, so that means just a few weeks and they'll be making it up to us for the teaser of a season finally… yeah I call them season finallies instead of season finale. My roomie thinks it's funny and a little strange. I live to be funny and quirky! Starbucks was bought by the beagle. He's a good dog… whoring himself out so mama can get her café!

Author's Note: Thank you all SO much for all of the reviews. And because you all rock so much, I just posted chapter 10 and am ALREADY starting on chapter 11!!! That's thanks to all the reviews and amazing people reading!!

* * *

Bren looked at her partner with confusion, "You can't be serious? Hasn't this already been done? Isn't that just contrived?"

Booth was so surprised by Bones' reaction to his news that someone was reliving her book that he laughed. "Of all the reactions I was expecting, that didn't even enter my realm of thinking." He shook his head. "Bones, you continue to surprise me, pretty much each and every day." _And I am glad that I woke up before you did this morning or else I would awkwardly have surprised you…_

Bren smiled and looked up a little sheepishly, "I aim to please."

He laughed again. "In the middle of all of this potential disaster, you can still make me laugh. Thanks. It's definitely cutting on the stress. So we need to decide where to go tonight, since both of our places are out. And we are going to stick together… then we are going to figure this mystery out and get this guy."

Bren smiled at Booth's conviction. She knew he would stop at pretty much nothing until he solved this case and kept her protected. She had faith in few things, but she definitely had faith in Booth.

Booth's phone rang. He left her office to take it, obviously it was work, maybe even another body. He came back into the office with his eyes bright. "We have another case. And guess what? It's at Avenel Country Club. I'm thinking I should take Zach."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because, if I am his fixation and he somehow has the crime scene under surveillance, he'll be antagonized by the fact that I wasn't there. We aren't far enough in the investigation to piss him off."

Booth thought about it for about 30 seconds before he lowered his head in defeat. "True." _I hate it when she uses logic with me. Uses MY logic with me. She just drives me crazy. She can take me from laughing during a really tense case that's spilling over into real life and then out of nowhere get me angry at her for wanting to put her life in danger. WILLINGLY. I am really starting to dislike her steep learning curve._

"While you are seeming rather agreeable, I have another idea. I think we need to bring in Dr. Sweets to do a profile."

_Already ahead of you on that one sweetheart._ Booth smiled, "Already called him yesterday, when I was on my way to meet up with Hodgins. I do need to update him on the new developments, but he's been read in."

"Good. Even though I don't lend much credence to psychology, knowing this bad guy's thought process and what not might turn out to be quite useful in expediting his capture and returning my life to normal." With that small comment, Booth could see past Bren's façade. This stalker was infiltrating almost every facet of her life and it was starting to get to her. Previously she had handled things like this before because they only involved work or her personal life, but never has she had both arenas of her life compromised. Compartmentalizing this situation was out of the question because it was messy and covering her entire life.

"You do realize that up on that platform you and your squints are going to find some physical evidence getting this guy. Then you and I will find him, and I'll even let you carry my backup gun. I'll let you beat him up before I take him in. That ok?"

Bren thought about his suggestion and attempt at comforting her, which, while the ideas didn't comfort her, the sentiment behind them definitely did. She smiled, "I think I'd like that. I'd also like to go to the gym again tonight, not just to shower but maybe to work on hand-to-hand combat. What do you think? Help me?"

_Grapple with Bones? Be all rolling around on the floor with her? That sounds incredibly appealing… down boy. Focus. She wants help on fighting someone, not bumping uglies with me. Yes, as much as I'll enjoy it, I have to be pure of mind and intention. _"Sure Bones, that sounds like fun. It'll blow off some steam."

She scoffed, "I doubt we'll get hot enough to have steam coming off of our bodies, unless the gym is unnaturally cold…"

"I meant work out some of the aggression that this perp is causing us to have. Work off the stress, you know?"

"Understood. Let's go. I need to grab my wading boots and we'll be off."

"You always look so funny in your waders. They make me laugh… too bad you only use them when we have real ripe ones… so laughing makes me gag. And that's just not fun."

They smile at one another as they walk out of her office. Cam and Hodgins come running over to the partners. "Wait. Booth," Cam said just as Hodgins said, "Dr. B!"

"What?" the partners answered in unison.

Hodgins allowed Cam to speak first. "Hodge-podge gave me the sample of the extra blood found on the kidney and I ran some quick tests. It's female and she was pregnant, by the levels of progesterone I found in the blood."

"I hate that!" Booth said as he lightly punched a cabinet. Kids and pregnant women were the worst victims in his opinion.

"And she was drugged with rohyphnol wasn't she?"

Hodgins paused, looking strangely at Bren. "Yeah, how did you know Dr. B?"

"Lucky guess," Booth said as he ushered Bones out of the lab and into his car. "The less they know the better. Their results won't be based on what you tell them about your novel, their tests and conclusions will be based on the facts."

They started driving back to Potomac when Booth pulled out his phone to dial Cam. "Have you IDed the guy yet?"

"Working on it Booth. Zach is almost done with the skull and will beam it to Dr. Brennan before he gives it to Angela."

"Cam it's ok. I trust Zach's assessment and ability to put depth markers in the correct place. He can just bypass me and give the skull straight to Angela." Bren said, raising her voice to be heard on the phone by her supervisor. "ID-ing the victim and finding the cause of death are the most important things right now."

Booth hung up and the partners faced mid morning DC traffic in silence. Booth mentally prepping himself for another gooey body, while Bren was trying to think about anything else but the body she was about to examine.

Something tickled the back of Bren's mind. Some good memory that she couldn't quite grasp. _Was it something that happened yesterday? Drunk Booth was funny and it was quite adorable when he crawled into bed with me because he was lonely, but I don't think that was it. No. It was a dream. A really delicious dream that got me all, excited. But I can't remember who my sex dream was about. It was hot. And I came, which is weird because I never orgasm in sex dreams, I wake up right before I am about to._

"What are you smiling about?" Booth asked his partner.

"Oh, nothing really. I just remembered that I had a really really vivid sex dream last night." Forgetting that she shared a bed with her partner the night before, she goes into detail, "I've never orgasmed in a sex dream before and I definitely did last night. But I can't remember the dream at all. Only the feeling."

Booth started coughing, really uncomfortable with the topic of conversation. _Ok so we both, uh did that. And we both clearly enjoyed whatever so much so that everybody was super happy. What happened? She does not need to know that the same thing happened to me… and that she somehow got on… my boxers. _

He nervously laughed, "Ugh, Bones. I am so not comfortable talking about this."

"You had no problem doing that last night."

"WHAT?" _Did she remember something?!??!_

* * *

**Author's Note: I told you all I'd get this updated soon!!! It's all flowing now. I've already completed chapter 12 too!! Woot. That could mean a lot of updates this week, depending on reviews... that's right, I might be holding out for reviews... it's blackmail, just the way Bones likes it! So please please review. I'd love to hear/read what you think! And the reviews will definitely encourage this chica to update quicker!**


	12. Take Me As I Am

Chapter Twelve: Take Me As I Am

Author: Duckypantz

Disclaimer: Can't afford Bones or its characters… It's September, so that means just a few weeks and they'll be making it up to us for the teaser of last season's ending… more kissing this season?? Let's hope!! Starbucks bought by me today… nothing exciting about that. Maybe the boss will take pity on me and buy it for me tomorrow!

Author's Note: Thank you all SO much for all of the reviews. Haven't posted Ch. 11 and am already typing up Ch. 12! I am on a roll!!! Hopefully you all will be on a roll with those reviews (HINT)… and I'll get these chapters up as soon as I can! Thanks again (and in advance for all those great reviews for this chapter!)… this one scene for this chapter came to me as I was about to go to sleep last night… hope you like it as much as I do! Can you guess which scene?

* * *

His voice came down a decibel and became deeper. He tried to appear calm, but his heart was racing. "What are you talking about, Bones?" _I need to get this under control before I drive this car off the road or shoot a clown again. _

"You were very open about sex and sexual reactions. You accidentally brushed my chest and since it was cold and I wasn't wearing a bra, my nipple clearly responded and you commented. It was very amusing if I hadn't been so embarrassed."

"I embarrassed you about sex? I wish I remembered it. That is something I would cherish because you continually make me uncomfortable about sex."

"Yeah. Well that wasn't the only priceless moment of the night. You also were lonely in the guest room and you didn't want to sleep alone. So you crawled into my bed."

He laughed. "I don't believe you."

"Did you or did you not wake up in my bed?" She asked pointedly.

"Well, that's beside the point. I never would have crawled into your bed because I was lonely. That sounds so silly and childish."

"It does sound silly but you totally did it! And you wanted to cuddle. I was a nice partner and let you. Just like when I need a hug and you don't really want a hug, but you give me one anyway."

"I never hug you unless I want to. And I am sure that you wanted to cuddle or else you wouldn't have done it… you never do anything unless you want to." Booth responded.

Bren laughed, "I can't believe we are arguing about cuddling and hugging, what are we children?"

"Sometimes," he laughed. "Bones, this really sucks. All this stuff that this stalker guy has put you through."

"Ok, why did you have to ruin the moment? We were laughing and then like a hail storm you killed the laughter."

"What can I say? I am a Debbie downer."

"You say the strangest things, Booth."

* * *

The dynamic duo had just left the lab when Cam called a team meeting above the platform in the catwalk lounge area.

"Booth told me not to tell you guys about this, but I don't like it when my people fly blind. While I am not going to give you specifics that could cloud your judgment and subsequent conclusions from your work, I will tell you what is going on."

"There appears to be a stalker that is quite intent on Dr. Brennan. He broke into her office here and set up bugs and a camera at her house. The camera was facing her bed. He's made contact with her by leaving a picture of her sleeping this morning underneath her door."

"Before you ask, no there was not a team watching her house. They were trying to not alert this guy to the fact that they knew he had eyes and ears in Dr. Brennan's condo. And Booth was at her place, protecting her." She paused. "It seems that Booths' involvement in this has angered the stalker even more."

"Why did he steal a draft of her new book?" Angela asked.

"To emulate the murders in the book. It seems like he is using her book as a blueprint to start a killing spree."

"Has he copied them correctly so far?" Angela asked again, going pale.

"That's where I am not going to answer. Before you ask, I do not want your judgment clouded. Form your conclusions from the facts that the body gives us. I haven't read the draft. Only Booth and Dr. Brennan have. We are looking into this case with fresh eyes so that when this guy gets caught, he is not getting off on any technicalities on our part. Ok?"

The team agreed. During Cam's little speech, Sweets had quietly arrived and joined the group. Once everyone was silent, he spoke up, asking, "Is there any way we could all brief each other on what we are doing? Getting a whole picture of this murder might help or give someone insight into something."

Each person explained where they were in their battery of tests to determine who the victim was, how he died, where he died, what he was transported in between where he died and Congressional, and any other internal identifiers they could find, like what area he grew up in, if he had a disease, to help Angela narrow down her search to find his identity. Sweets rounded out the explanation by giving his preliminary profile of the stalker and then of the killer, determining through the evidence that they were one in the same.

"Guys, this stalker/killer dude is dangerous. Just this morning he overheard Booth tell Bren that they were going to stay at his place, it was a ruse to try and catch the guy, and he set up an explosive in Booth's place. Luckily the FBI got it out, but it was tricky. This guy is really smart and really wants to hurt Booth because he is close to Dr. Brennan. He is fixated on her and will stop at nothing to have her."

"I honestly believe that that's his goal, to kidnap Dr. Brennan. So since you are all close to her, I recommend being extra careful. Don't go somewhere alone. Maybe go stay at a friend's place. Just be careful. He is unstable."

After Sweets' startling speech, the group disbursed, to go and run more tests to catch this guy. Hodgins was left by himself on the catwalk watching his team and friends walk purposefully downstairs to their areas of the lab. Angela paused at the top of the steps to look back at Hodgins and expelled a shaky breath followed by a wobbly smile.

Hodgins gestured with his hand for her to come back to the break area to sit with him. He knew he needed a big hug as much as she did, he just reigned in his emotions a bit better so no one knew how shaken up he was.

After hugging Angela for what felt like a minute, he pulled back and asked, "Are you alright? You know you have a place to stay at my house. I'll hire extra security. Or I can come bunk with you. I just don't want you to be alone."

"Ok."

"Good. I'm glad you are agreeable to this." He took a breath. "This is really freaking me out." He paused, as if to gather strength from holding her hand.

"Things are getting scary. This psycho is reaching out to hurt everyone close to Dr. B. He tried to bomb Booth! I know this is the wrong thing to say and totally the wrong time to say it but…" he just couldn't continue.

"What Jack? You know you can tell me anything."

"It's not worth it to me to just dance around the way we've been for the past few months. I have to take the chance and possibly get shut down because who knows what this crazy guy will do tomorrow. Or who knows what greatness we could have achieved together if I just got my head out of my ass and took a chance."

"Angela. I still love you. Don't think I stopped. I want to try this again, for real this time, not just part in, but all in. You in?"

With tears in her eyes at his declaration, she replied, "I'm so far in this, I don't think I could find my way out, even if I tried. I don't want to try."

Though they had just hugged, this hug, a hug of promises of the future, filled them both with the strength to fight and discover who this psycho is who is trying to destroy their best friend and co-worker.

* * *

**Author's Note: I love me some good Hodgela. I hope you guys liked it. I just see them in a forever sense, just like Bones and Booth. Please review and let me know what you think! Sorry this was shorter than normal... I promise Ch. 13 will be longer!**


	13. I Never Told You

Chapter Thirteen: I Never Told You

Author: Duckypantz

Disclaimer: Can't afford Bones or its characters… It's September, so that means just a few weeks and they'll be making it up to us for the teaser of last season's ending… Starbucks bought by me today… nothing exciting about that. One of the bosses mentioned he might buy me Starbucks tomorrow…WOOHOO!

Author's Note: Thank you all SO much for all of the reviews. Am working on this before I even post Ch. 12!!!! Yay for me. Hopefully you all will be so kind as to review!!! I don't like asking, but I loooove reading what you all think!

* * *

Bones shimmied into her waders. Booth tried not to stare at her as she did it. It was as if something had shifted in his perception of his partner in the last 24 hours, or a dam had burst open and he just couldn't control himself anymore. His famous control was slipping in regards to his feelings for his partner. The thoughts that he had kept at bay until he was alone and safe at night in his own place about his Bones were popping up all the time now.

He needed to get himself under control before others started noticing his different reactions to his beautiful partner. He also needed to focus on the case and protecting Bones instead of trying to get her into his bed.

_What is going on with me? Get a GRIP! Calm down and focus. I need to fix this mess with the stalker and solve the case, and then I will deal with all these feelings._

"Need any help, Bones?" _Did my voice just crack? Good lord. I need to calm the hell down. This is getting pathetic_, Booth thought as he let out a soft chuckle. If you can't laugh at yourself, you clearly take life too seriously.

"I think I've got it, Booth." They walked over to another crime scene, this time the body was in a sand trap. It had been partially unearthed when the grounds crew raked over the sand to make it aesthetically pleasing to the early morning golfers.

Turning on her recorder, Bren squatted down, listing her preliminary findings. "Female, badly damaged by some machine…"

Booth interrupted, "Yeah, Avenel has a raking machine that you ride, much like a riding lawnmower. It's over there," he pointed over her shoulder, to the left. "Before you ask, I've already got my guys taking off the parts of the machine that came in contact with the body. You want it at the Jeffersonian or let my people take it?"

"Your people can handle that, since this is the only place that the machine has come in contact with the body. My people will take care of the body and particulates." She beckoned Booth closer and whispered, "Are your people mopping for flies?"

Booth straightened and cocked his head to the side, as if doing that would help him understand what she was saying. "Got it! Sweeping… and flies, I mean bugs. Yes."

Muttering, Bren answered, "Well clearly there is a big difference. Can't we just call things their actual names instead of these popular culture references? Seriously, I am a genius and rarely get confused, except when it comes to stupid colloquialisms." She had muttered so softly that Booth didn't catch every word, but he understood the gist of it. _I bet her high powered tape recorder will pick up her muttering. I have to be there when Zach tries to listen to them and decipher what she's saying. _

The FBI techs just looked at one another smiling. They were used to Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth bickering at the crime scene. After they got over how gorgeous the doctor was, and learned to avert their gazes from her before Agent Booth killed them with a look, they enjoyed gathering evidence for the duo. While she was a task master who expected perfection from everyone, going to a scene with Booth and his Bones was more entertaining than going with any other partners from the FBI.

After taking bets on if and when the partners would cross that line, the FBI techs just sat back, did the best job they possibly could, and had fun observing the partner interactions. Seriously, watching the brainiac and cocky belt buckle wearer verbally dance around one another was better than TV.

Most local LEOs who first stumble upon a crime scene and explain it to Booth and Brennan assume the two are a couple. But not yet; one would think trained observers, such as local LEOs are supposed to be, would notice all that sexual tension that doesn't yet have an outlet does not mean that they are together, but rather that they are on the cusp of something more.

* * *

"So, definitely pregnant?"

"Yes. I am not sure how far along, and before you ask, if I had to give an educated guess, I would be comfortable saying 2nd trimester."

"Damnit!" Booth hit the steering wheel with the heel of his hand.

"I know… you hate the pregnant women cases 2nd only to the cases with children."

"Not that I am _not_ upset when men are killed… but children and fetuses are defenseless."

"Actually, fetuses in the first trimester are surprisingly resilient. Most women do not know they are pregnant before they are at least one month into the pregnancy, so they do not know to alter their lives, eating and drinking habits."

"And this one didn't get a chance to fight or even live!"

Bren reached across the console to put her hand on Booth's arm, "I know. And I'm sorry that this happened. I'm sorry that any of them happen. But this crazy stalker guy didn't realize who he was messing with. Before we were angry and ready to take him down; now he has crossed a line. He will be destroyed. He isn't smart enough to have covered all of his tracks. We'll get him."

Booth smiled. Normally he was the one who gave the pep talks. But, whenever the other partner wasn't doing what he/she normally does, the other one picks up the slack without hesitation; a perfect dance with seamless transitions, until the bickering/bantering starts.

"Thanks Bones… Now we have to decide where we are going to stay for the foreseeable future. Your place it out, my place is certainly out, hotel is a maybe, Jeffersonian is out…"

"I know this is bad. But he hasn't threatened me, only you. Maybe if we split up, it'll make it easier to draw him out."

"No. Not going to happen. Remember, you are the brains and I am the brawn that packs a lot of heat. Where you go, I go."

"I think that is silly, Booth. We want to catch this guy as quickly as possible, right?"

"Obviously." He said exasperated.

"Well then I think if we set a trap for him, using me, we can get him."

Booth was silent for a moment, thinking about her motives instead of her words. "I know you want this to be over as soon as humanly possible, but, as you is so fond of reminding me, we need evidence to keep him. Catching him at your place would only account for the stalking charges, not the murders that we know he did!"

Bren opened her mouth to retort, but closed it as she absorbed Booth's heated response. With the wind suddenly taken out of her sails, Bren replied, dejectedly, "You're right, Booth. Normally you are the one who jumps to conclusions, but I guess now that's me."

"Ok, so now that that's settled, let's talk about where we are staying tonight. Since this is my op, I get a little leeway in where we can go. We'll have a team on us, but not obviously."

Bren turned to face her partner, "How about you choose and I'll just go along willingly."

"When have you ever done anything with me without questioning me at every turn?"

Confused, she responded, "I'm not questioning you now. You are doing fine driving us between the crime scene and the Jeffersonian."

Chuckling, Booth said, "Bones, that never gets old. I really did think it would, but it doesn't. I wasn't talking about driving, even though I did say 'at every turn'. I meant you never take what I suggest or plan as unquestionably true. You always prod and poke…so saying that you won't makes me nervous."

"I'm confused. Do you want me to question your decisions or not?"

"I don't know! I don't want you to, but then if you don't, I'll think it's abnormal."

"Ah. That is completely irrational. I get it."

"What?!"

"I can understand that you are not a 100% completely logical being. No one can be. Being completely logical and living life through logic is a fallacy. No one can do it without somehow becoming irrational."

"Bones, you make no sense," he held up his hand before she could interrupt. "To ME! You make no sense to me."

* * *

"How could the murderer have gotten the blood from the second victim in the same box as the first victim, when this second victim was killed days after the first one?" Cam asked as she walked up the platform steps.

Booth right behind her answered, "Could she have been held longer by the murderer and just kept until her death fit into the timeline? Or could he have gotten her blood somehow before he killed her and saturated the cardboard box with it before the first murder?"

"Only way I can tell if she had been held captive is if I can get access to the body to look for particulates." Hodgins exclaimed, being boxed out by Zach, who was examining the body.

"If she was held captive and there are any indications on her body of torture or being tied up, I can find the evidence if I have access to the body."

"Dude! You do have access to the body right now. Work that ridiculously intelligent brain quicker so the rest of us can do our jobs."

Bren leaned into Booth to whisper to her partner, "She should have been held captive for at least 3 days."

"I _know_," he responded, equally as quiet.

The team looked at the partners strangely, since they never spoke in hushed tones before.

Hodgins broke the silence, "Guys, we know that the killer is using Dr. B's book and following the killing spree from that. We don't know the specifics so our evidence or conclusions drawn from the evidence can't be clouded."

Cam nodded and said, "Now as much as I enjoy the fighting over being king of the lab, I am going to examine the latest body first, since it's still fleshy and I'll let you all know when she's ready for particulates to be gathered off of her, and then when she's ready for Zach and all the magic he does."

Cam turned to face the body but called over her shoulder, "Oh, and I'll be able to tell by the levels of rohyphnol in her blood and tissue, how long she had been drugged for, the rest is up to you all."

Cam wheeled the body into the pathology suite and Hodgins smiled at Zach, "I think we just got put in our places."

* * *

Booth rushed into Angela's office with Bren hot on his heels. "I have a feeling you've IDed our guy."

Angela gasped, and pressed her hand to her heart and turned around to face the intruders, "Booth can you wear a bell or something? I'm a little on edge with this whole stalker serial killer thing."

"Yeah, sorry, but do you have anything?" As soon as he asked, her computer beeped. They all crowded around to see the results of the missing persons search.

"This is weird. His name is Matthew Brennan. That's just like…"

"My dad… well my dad when we were… a family."

" This sick bastard… is… going… down" Booth said between clenched teeth as he saw his partner go white.

* * *

**Author's note: did you see that coming??? I'm not sure if I did until it came out! What did you all think??? Is this a believable bad guy? Can't wait to read what you all think!!**


	14. I Can't Help Myself

Chapter Fourteen: I Can't Help Myself

Author: Duckypantz

Disclaimer: Can't afford Bones or its characters… It's September, so that means just a few weeks and they'll be making it up to us for the teaser of last season's ending… Starbucks bought by me today… nothing exciting about that, except my coworker harassed SB workers to get her to be the Customer of the Week, funny stuff.

Author's Note: Thank you all SO much for all of the reviews! I am answering all your questions in the chapter and via PM… thanks so much for reading and writing me! OH! And this chapter is dedicated to one of my epic friends… Jackie…because my favorite line in this entire chapter is all her. Can you guess which one?

* * *

"Angela, just for clarification, the victim is Matthew Brennan not the murderer?" Booth asked.

"Yeah, sorry I wasn't too clear about that. The first victim is named Matthew Brennan. Here is my rendering from the skull and here is his missing persons' picture." Angela held up both pictures, her drawing and the picture from the missing persons' database.

Bren took a deep breath and interrupted saying, "Matthew Brennan was my dad's alias when we were kids. But it's not him, since he's in all of the databases, with many identifiers in NCIC and AFIS. And I talked to him yesterday on my way to picking Booth up."

"Sweetie, we know the victim is not your dad, but he's really just trying to mess with you. I bet it was really hard to find someone with your dad's alias' name and have the guy kind of resemble Max as well. I wouldn't call them twins but it's still creepy."

Sweets, who had followed the partners into Angela's office interjected, "Not that killing is ever a good thing, but he went off script, didn't he? I haven't read the book, but I don't think that Dr. Brennan would ever name one of her murder victims after a friend or family member."

"Of course I wouldn't. That is sick. My first victim's name was Steven Harrison. Do you want to know about his profession and his brief profile?"

"No! Thanks for not divulging that information. We don't know if the killer deviated a little or a lot from the manuscript and that'll keep our minds clear to find any particles or evidence tying the perp to the crime."

"Perp, Sweets, really?" Booth questioned.

"Yeah, I'm trying out new words: perp, dirt bag, goon, evil doer, bad guy, UNSUB…"

"You have been watching too much TV. I think you've run the gambit: NCIS, Criminal Minds, Psych…"

"Booth, how do you have the kind of time to watch all those shows?" Bren asked.

"DVR, baby. It's all about getting it when you want it." His eyes widened at the suggestion in his comment and he coughed, saying "Eh, I didn't mean it like that. It's just so convenient. I love it. Totally worth the money."

"Are you the spokesperson for these DVR things?" Bren asked, laughing.

"Dr. Brennan… it's amazing. This phenomenon of not scheduling your life around the TV schedules. Now you watch when you want to watch." Sweets explained.

"I don't know. I am more interested in the real world where we catch killers and people stalking me to worry about what's on TV or what I've recorded to watch later."

Sweets looked a little sheepish, "Ah, yes, we should focus all of our attention on the case so that your life can get back to stalker free. So essentially, by the stalking killer dude deviating from the book and not finding a guy with your character's name or physical similarities, is a good thing. It means that the killings are definitely secondary to his stalking of Dr. Brennan."

Sweets continued patting Bren's arm. "And his choosing of a guy with one your father's alias' means that he is trying to prove that he is smarter than you are, and emotionally break you, Dr. Brennan."

"Too bad my partner is unbreakable, especially since she compartmentalizes everything so well." Booth smiled and put an arm around Bren.

Bren walked away from the men crowding her, to the other side of the Angelator. Sweets responded to Booth's statement saying, "He will try anything to break you, I hope you can mentally prepare for the next victim to either have something to do with your mother or another female close to you."

* * *

Bren and Booth were pouring over her manuscript in her office, not on the platform where Bren was itching to be. She couldn't be involved in the squint side of the investigation because of legalities. Caroline Julian had been adamant that Bren not be involved with the evidence. Unfortunately, the partners hadn't contacted Ms. Julian until after they had brought in the second body, which did not make the prosecutor happy at all.

Since the case had a lot of gray area, Caroline couldn't force Bren to not be involved with the investigation at all. She just couldn't cloud the evidence with the clues from her manuscript. Not that the logical, supremely rational Dr. Brennan would, but Caroline Julian knew better than anyone, that people are fallible.

Angela started to enter Bren's office but stopped, hovering at the doorframe. "Sweetie? Can I have a moment?"

Bren stood up and followed her best girl friend and coworker out of the office towards the stairs. _I guess Angela wants to go to that break area on the catwalk. Must be something important._

"I think you need some good news. I have good news to share. But before I get into that, how are you doing? Are you handling this?"

Bren looked at her friend strangely, "I'm fine, Ange. This isn't what one would call ideal, but I can handle it. I have you all going through the evidence and I have the utmost confidence that you will find something to get this guy. I also have Booth to protect me, even though I can protect myself, it's nice to have someone else looking out for me."

"You compartmentalize freakily well. It makes me nervous because you won't be able to keep this all together. No one could. I don't want you to break, but I think this compartmentalization is unhealthy." She held up her hand to stop Bren from responding, "I just want what's best for you. I love you and want you to be happy, like me."

Bren just rolled her eyes and sat down, curling her right leg underneath herself. They had taken seats on the couch in the break area on the catwalk above the lab platform. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Angela smiled and clasped her hands together. "Well, I've been keeping a secret from you. I know that's weird because I am definitely a sharer, but I've kinda been seeing someone for the past few months. I broke the whole celibacy thing with him."

"Wow." Bren looked shocked. Angela was an over sharer about everything, especially sex, or even flying solo. Bren started to laugh, remembering when Angela came into her office one morning limping because she had pulled a muscle in her hip from going solo and immediately told Bren the story. "Sorry I am not laughing about the guy, I am laughing about when you hurt your hip, you know, pleasuring yourself."

Angela laughed, "Oh my goodness! I completely forgot about that… but wow that hitachi hand wand… amazing. He's been on vacation for a few months now… maybe I should get you one, especially since you've been single for a while."

"Ange! I am perfectly capable of handling my own pleasure without help of machines."

"Key word: handling." Angela hooted.

Bren stopped to think about what she had said, understood the implied joke and laughed. "I get it! Yeah, that's funny," which sent the ladies into another fit of giggles.

"Ok, ok, don't be worried if you get a package in the mail… does WONDERS!"

"Actually I think I am ok. I had the most amazing dream last night. It was so vivid. I know, in the middle of this horrible case where I have a real life stalker, I am having hot intense dreams. Before you ask, not about anyone in particular. I know what he smells like, but I can't see his face. But it was intense. I finished. Never ever done that before from a dream."

"Woah! Neither have I! And I am an artist with a very very vivid imagination!"

"Well, I guess that means that I too have a very good imagination. Almost can't wait to get back to sleep tonight! But wait, we came up here to talk about you and your news."

"Ok, so you have heard of him before… I mean we were just messing around, but not messing around with anyone else. It was implied, but then all of this stuff is going on with your stalker and serial killer guy… and he took the leap. He wants us to be together together."

A little confused, Bren smiled, but didn't quite get what her friend was talking about, "That's good. Usually in intense circumstances strong reactions like this do happen. Not to say that they wouldn't have without this stressor of the killer/stalker… but the stress has helped push the feelings to the forefront of your minds." Bren paused, "Crap, I sound like Sweets. I hate psychology."

"Don't you want to know who it is?"

Bren, clearly knowing who her friend was going to name, tried to look curious, "Who?"

"As if you didn't already know; Hodgins."

Bren smiled, "I am so glad that you all got back together. You have proved me wrong at every turn about relationships and I am really happy that you will go on proving me wrong together. It's nice to have a good example of an adult relationship."

"Aw, thanks Sweetie."

"Question: is it on facebook? I've heard that a relationship isn't really official until it's on facebook. The only think I don't get is, what is facebook?" Bren asked.

"You are just adorable!" Angela laughed and proceeded to explain the networking site.

"Wait, Bren, you never told me about Booth staying over at your place."

"Oh yeah, so he got really drunk with Hodgins last night, but was going to stay at my place anyway, because of the stalker, but he was essentially useless drunk… but he couldn't get home."

"Oh to get the chance to take advantage of a drunk Booth." Angela shuddered at the pleasure of that image.

"He was hilarious, talking about sexual arousal and being lonely in the guest room, so he crawled into my bed. I should have made him go back to the other bed, but he made that sad face and I didn't really care."

"So wait, was he in the bed when you had that hot dream?"

"I'm not sure. He got up a lot earlier than I did. The dream happened in the early morning, so I could guess that he was most likely still in the bed."

"Interesting."

"What?"

"Nothing, just interesting. Especially since you couldn't see your mystery guy's face. Maybe it was Booth."

"Ange, you are constantly trying to get us together. If it hasn't already happened, don't you think it is most likely to never happen?"

"I have faith in your stubbornness and his gentlemanness. I also have faith that your attraction will break through those two very prominent traits." _I can't believe she came while he was in bed with her! The dream guy has to be Booth… you don't just get _that_ into a dream and finish… that doesn't happen unless there is outside real stimulation…_

"Ange, you are just going to be disappointed. How about we just agree to disagree on this topic and go get back to work?"

"Ok." _This is far from over,_ Angela thought.

Bren turned while on the stairs, "I am really glad that you and Hodgins are back together. You are right for one another, somehow. It really doesn't make sense, but I can see that it's right."

Angela smiled at her friend's nice words. She said in a soft voice to herself, "And you and Booth are right for one another, you both just need to man up like Hodgins and I did… take that leap. Maybe this crazy scary case will pull them together to move into more than just friends."

* * *

**Author's Note: I really wanted to get this out to you all before I went home (from work) for the weekend. I like to avoid computers on the weekend since I am on them all day at work! Thanks in advance for the AMAZING reviews that I am sure all of you will have for this chapter. I can't wait for the emails!! The blackberry does NOT count as internet… so I'll get the emails!!! Thanks!**


	15. Devil Town

Chapter Fifteen: Devil Town

Author: Duckypantz

Disclaimer: Can't afford Bones or its characters… It's September!! And I got my BONES fix last night! I want to say I LOVE Cam!!! Haven't gotten my coffee yet today. I know! What is the world coming to?

Author's Note: Thanks so much for keeping up with the story! I love the reviews and the alerts!!! Now bear with me… I know Bren seemed a little out of character at the end of the last chapter, but it will make sense. Thanks so much to tansypool for being super honest and letting me know… but it was all part of the plan, I mean I already wrote this chapter before I posted ch. 14... Trust me (I don't know why I want to insert an evil laugh here… but I do)

* * *

Bren was done re-reading her book. Not done done, but over reading her own work. _I am quite agitated. I have to work really hard at sitting still, and have been sitting here for a while. I need to get up and do something. I need to see what Zach, Hodgins and Cam have come up with. Even though I can't be a part of the investigation, Caroline never said anything about me observing the findings. See, I can learn about loopholes too. _She smiled at herself.

She swiped her card through the card reader and ascended to the platform. Instead of asking Zach and Hodgins what they were researching and finding, she walked between their stations, observing.

"Dr. B, this guy is good. While I have found particulates all over the body, none of them are unique enough to pinpoint a location other than the dump site. We know the first victim didn't die at Congressional. So that leads me to believe that the victim was killed in Potomac. And, he was also killed on a concrete floor, as you can see from my findings," Hodgins pointed to a monitor that showed the results of the particulate test on the victim.

"I can tell you what happened and in what order, but I am not certain which blow was the fatal one, especially since the head was removed post mortem. Not too far after death, but still post mortem." Zach interjected, upset that he wasn't going to win King of the Lab.

Cam joined the group, "Our victim died of exsanguination." She held up her hand to stop Zach from interrupting, "It is a word Mr. Addy. There was almost no blood left in the body pieces, so wherever he was killed, it's gonna leave a big stain."

_And they are going to find the kill site pretty soon, at least if this crazy stalker/killer followed my book. Ok, so it is still warm enough to play basketball outside, but the pools are closed; maybe Booth should look into pools around Potomac that have been closed for the season. But then again, what do I know about any of this. In my book he kills the victim in a school parking lot. I guess my intuitive leap to other places where children might hang out isn't too farfetched, but still motive and thinking like a killer are not my areas of expertise. I should let Booth handle that._ Bren sits down heavily on a chair, with a slightly confused and partially defeated look on her face.

Hodgins leaned closer to Cam, whispering, "I think this is getting to her."

"Clearly," Cam replied, looking worriedly at her forensic anthropologist. "We need to involve her, or get her busy so that she doesn't have free time at the lab to just think about the atrocities this guy is doing to get her attention."

Cam walked over to where Bren was sitting and said in a very professional tone, "Dr. Brennan, if you could look for, review, and give me a copy of your notes on drawing and quartering, which would be extremely helpful to the investigation. It also might help us focus on a more specific murder weapon instead of just a really sharp knife. Actually, it would also be of great benefit to me if you would also observe those two" she pointed to Zach and Hodgins "when they decide to start experimenting to find the weapon. They have ruined more of my clothing and made me turn a little grey…not much, a few strands, but it would be so good of you to handle them instead of me."

"Sure, Cam. I'll get my notes right away. I guess I can observe them while they are experimenting." She let out a small laugh, "It seems as if either you or Dr. Goodman became the victim in their experiments. Maybe it has something to do with authority?"

Cam laughed, "Actually Angela got beaned with a frozen pig once." Bren's smile faltered as she thought about the new information.

"I guess I need to revisit my hypothesis about their experiments and authority," she shrugged.

"Just alter it a little bit to people who wield power over them, whether it be at work or personally," Cam joked, referring to Hodgela. "But we'll get a reprieve of experiments at least for today, since it's about that time to clock out."

* * *

Angela waited until Bren had left her office, to talk to Booth. _There is something seriously wrong with Bren. She has never acted that way towards me ever. This stalker is really getting to her. I'm so scared for her. _

"Booth? Hey, how is it going?"

"We are getting through her book slowly but surely. There are a lot of potential avenues to investigate. We've called Russ and Max, Max is on his way up to Russ to protect the girls and his son. Neither of us is worrying about Max. He is the player in this game that I have the most confidence in, besides myself and Bones."

"She's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. There is something really strange going on with her. I think the stalker is really getting to her."

Booth cocked his head, thinking about Angela's comment. He shook his head, "I actually think she is handling this better than I would have expected. There haven't been any outbursts or anything."

"You know just as well as I do that Bren does not react the way that other people act."

"True, but she's acting like normal Bones."

"I swear Seeley Booth, you are so good with people but sometimes you are so blind when it comes to Bren! She and I just had a heart to heart about things, especially romantic things with me…"

"So you and the bug man finally get back together? I mean you've been sleeping together for what? 2 months now?"

"Yeah… wait! How did you know?"

Booth smiled, looking pleased with himself, "I know people, just like you said. His puppy dog looks at you changed… can't quite pinpoint what they changed too, but they weren't as sad. They were more scared yet happy. I'm not sure. But they changed, so I concluded that there was a change in your relationship."

Angela smiled, "You have been hanging out with our forensic anthropologist too much Agent Booth…you are starting to sound like her. I concluded…"

"Hey! I can sound smart in my own right, without any help from her!"

"Booth! You are getting me off topic! I came to talk about Bren and you are just being difficult!"

Booth smiled and held up his hands as if saying 'sorry, sorry'. "Ok, so you are worried about Bones…" he prompted.

"Yeah, so anyway, she and I had a conversation about how she was feeling, and of course she said that she was fine with this whole stalker/murderer thing, but I know she's not ok. Then to add insult to injury, she was supportive of my relationship with Hodgins."

"Now before you say anything, she has always been supportive of my happiness, but she has never been gushy and female about any of my relationships. Do you know how hard it is for her to be my best friend? Do you have her in your head telling you that marriage will infringe on my individuality and is the modern version of instituted slavery? AND, that happily ever after doesn't exist."

Booth chuckled, "I certainly do have her in my head, especially at the most inopportune times…"

Angela interrupts, "really? Like when? Is she your official coitus interruptus?"

Booth blushed and replied, "Not what I was talking about. And not the point. So what you are saying is that you are mad that she was supportive of this new relationship with Hodgins?"

"YES! You get it."

"No! I don't get it. Why would you be mad about her being happy for you?"

"No, you really don't get it." Angela said, deflated. "She was happy that Hodgins and I got back together! She said that we were right for one another and while that didn't make sense to her, she was happy for us. That's the problem."

Booth, shaking his head in confusion said, "Wait, I still am not sure why you are upset about your best friend being supportive."

"She is NEVER supportive of relationships, especially ones that I revisit… like me starting over again with Jack. You know that she doesn't believe in monogamy or marriage."

"I know she gets very hot when we talk about both of those topics. Hot as in upset or argumentative, Ange, not what you want to think I meant by saying hot."

Angela made a Cheshire smile, "I can have multiple agendas when I am talking to you… I can wheedle info about your relationship with Bren while talking about something completely different. But back on topic… she said that Hodgins and I were made for one another." _Well she essentially said that._

"Bones would never say something like that."

"I KNOW! That's why I am worried. Do you get it now?" She asked, exasperated.

"Yeah, I think I do get it. Ok, how about I talk to her, when we are holed up in a motel tonight and figure out what's up."

"Booth, seriously, are you this dense normally? We know what is wrong with her. This stalker guy is getting to her. I think by killing the victim, who shared her father's alias, he really hit home with our girl. Maybe getting her to admit that she is shaken will, I don't know, make her go back to normal or something."

"Ok. I'll talk to her. Try to figure out how to get her to agree that she is acting human and irrational about the case, because that's what the crazy stalker wants her to do, but she has to compartmentalize. Ok, get Bones to be Bones. I can do that."

"You can do what?" Bren asked as she walked into her office.

"I can take your manuscript and notes with us when we leave, in about, now."

"I'm not ready to go!" Bren almost whined.

Angela and Booth shared a look, Bren never whined. "Sweetie," Angela started, "Look, everyone is going home to rest because we have been putting in ridiculously long days. We need our rest and so do you. Have your FBI agent take you someplace safe so you can unwind."

_No where safe to unwind…_ Bren thought, negatively. "Guess we can't get anything done when everyone else is leaving…"

_Bones is willingly leaving the lab, for no real good reason. Angela is right, she's shaken up._ "Great we'll just get going."

* * *

Bren was still a little tense once they drove away from the Jeffersonian. "Bones, I am going to drive around and meet up with some other FBI agents with the same SUV so that if anyone is following us, they'll have a hard time doing so."

They drove around all four quadrants of DC, sticking mainly around the capitol, but Bren was getting tired of going up Independence and down Constitution and told Booth so.

"I think we've either lost him or bored him to death."

"That's the point, Bones. We are going to stay in a hotel outside of the city, so I'll just head down Independence to get on 395 and we'll be in Alexandria before we know it."

They started the going down the hill between the Capitol and the Representatives' office buildings, picking up speed. "Booth, I know you are an alpha male driver, but there's a red light and you seem to be speeding up… the exact opposite thing to do in this situation."

A bead of sweat gathered on Booth's forehead. "Uh, I didn't want to tell you this Bones, but the brakes are out. I've been pumping them since we started going down this hill and nothing. But I am going to turn on the siren and pray that we don't crash into any rush hour traffic. FUCK! The steering wheel just locked up too."

* * *

**Author's Note: I hope you all got a chance to see Bones last night!!!! I've converted my roommate into a Bones lover and it's great having someone to talk to and potentially squeal with! And I'm debating about adding some more M rated stuff… because that seems to get everyone reviewing… and I am totally whoring my story out for reviews!!! Thanks to all your amazing people for reading!**


	16. Rabbit

Chapter Sixteen: Rabbit

Author: Duckypantz

Disclaimer: Can't afford Bones or its characters… It's September YAY for Bones starting earlier than other shows!! And I got my BONES fix! I tried a new concoction at Starbucks… WAY to sweet. I am going to be bouncing off the walls pretty soon; I guess it's good that I am harnessing my energy to write for you all!

Author's Note: Thanks so much for keeping up with the story! I love the reviews and the alerts!!! Just posted ch 15 and am on a roll. Didn't want y'all to be in suspense for too long! But my posting depends on whether or not I have internet at home this weekend (which I didn't, so that's why I updated today).

* * *

Booth pumped the brakes, but nothing worked. He wasn't stupid enough to try putting his foot on the gas, because knowing his luck; he'd just make the car speed up and ratchet up the danger.

"Fuck, fuck fuck!" Booth muttered as he tried to turn the wheel of the SUV but couldn't. Bren had turned on the siren and Booth put his hand on the horn to warn the stragglers of rush hour traffic out of their way. They were barreling down Independence Ave., gaining more speed since the brakes were out.

"Booth, we can do this. OK we can't weave to slow down; can you force the car into a lower gear?" Booth took a deep breath and followed his partner's instructions.

Taking the gear shift in both hands, Booth destroyed the transmission by forcing the SUV into a lower gear. The car did slow down, but not enough to consider the passengers safe.

They were really lucky that traffic wasn't horrible, and that they had spent a lot of time driving through the streets of the city so Independence wasn't overly crowded. The other cars gave Booth's SUV wide berth.

It was all over so quickly but felt like it had been endless. The SUV reached the bottom of the hill, slowed a bit and Booth pulled the emergency brake. The brakes squealed and smoked. The car spun around in a tight circle and rocked to a stop, facing the opposite direction of where they had been going.

The partners hopped out of the vehicle as quickly as possible, heading towards the Botanical Garden where there was a Capitol policewoman, who had run out from her post protecting the Capitol to assess the situation.

"That was some fancy driving, want to tell me what happened?" She asked.

"The brakes stopped working and my steering wheel locked up. The brake line was probably cut and the steering was sabotaged." He ran a shaky hand through his hair. "I am so glad that didn't happen with more people around."

"You were lucky and real smart to act so quickly."

"Thanks. I had my partner to help me keep a level head."

"You did? Where is your partner?"

Booth looked around wildly, "Didn't you see her get out of the car when I did?"

"No sir, I didn't see anyone but you get out of that car. But as you can see, I can only see your side of the car."

"What? Why didn't I check to see if Bones was alright?" He said to himself, not realizing he had done so outloud.

"BOONES! BONES!" Booth yelled as he ran over to her side of the car. Her door was open, no one was in the car and she wasn't anywhere in sight.

* * *

While Booth had been getting out of the car, Bones had been disentangling herself from her seatbelt. As she exited the car, a black town car pulled up next to her and the driver rolled down the window.

"Dr. Temperance Brennan?"

"Yes," she answered warily.

He held up a gun and asked her to quietly get into the front seat of the car.

Bren looked around for Booth trying to catch his attention to her imminent capture, but he was on the opposite side of the car, talking with a policewoman. Bren had no choice, so she got into the car.

* * *

Bren and her captor drove in silence down Independence Ave., passing Department of Education, Transportation and the like. When they reached the Department of Agriculture, her captor's phone rang.

"Did you get the package?" The voice on the phone asked.

"Yes, right on schedule, sir."

"Please give her the phone." The driver gave her handed her the cell phone.

"Hello, this is Dr. Brennan." Bren said trying to sound authoritative.

"Dr. Brennan," the voice said, sounding excited. Had Bren seen any of the Harry Potter movies, she would have said that he sounded like Snape, nasal but higher pitched, and not British.

"Yes?" She tried sounding impatient instead of scared. She was in fact at his mercy since his driver had her. But she was relieved that he wasn't the driver.

"I am so glad that we finally get a chance to chat. I've just been too busy recently to contact you before now."

"Oh." She had no idea how to respond to him. She didn't want to outright antagonize him, and she was trying to channel Booth and try to draw the psycho out and maybe learn something about him that Booth would think was important.

"Are you impressed with the gifts that I've left for you?"

"Uh, your attention to detail is quite admirable," Bren said trying not to choke on her words.

"I worked really hard to get the most impact, bang for your buck if you will." He chuckled at his own joke.

"Why are you trying to hurt my partner?" Bren asked.

"What? That Agent Booth?" He spat out. "He is not worthy of your time or being called your partner. I was just giving you an easy out to stop associating yourself with such a philistine."

"Oh, I definitely disagree with that. He just comes off as uninterested in intellectual pursuits." She stopped, not wanting to share more with the stalker than absolutely necessary. She wasn't about to freely give him information that could lead to her partner getting hurt.

"Why did you stop defending your partner? Did you see that I was right about Agent Booth? I am sorry I had to open your eyes so abruptly about him, but he is not worthy of any of your time."

"Oh."

"Now, I am sure you are wondering why I had a driver pick you up this evening. I did orchestrate the issues with Agent Booth's car, but I was impressed with how calmly you and he dealt with the lack of brakes on a large hill. Quick thinking Dr. Brennan, I was very glad that you react very quickly."

He paused, but Bren waited him out, like she would one of her students. She didn't want to talk to him at all so she was in no hurry to fill the silence."I don't think now is the best time for us to meet. I have much more in store for you than what has already happened. I just gave in to my craving to hear your voice."

The absolute pleasure in his voice caused her to involuntarily shiver. She glanced at the driver through the corner of her eye and saw that he was militantly staring straight ahead at the road.

"I know that you believe less in people who give into their desires, but I felt that you would forgive me for this transgression, especially since we have so much more to learn from one another until our dance is done. "

The stalker hung up the phone and the driver slowed the car down. Before Bren had a chance to think about escaping, he ripped off her seatbelt and pushed her out of the door of the slowly moving vehicle. Bren rolled to a stop and tried to get up or at least try to look at the license plate. She vaguely saw the first three digits of the Ohio license plate before the pain caught up with her and she fainted.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry about the cliff-ness of the chapter (and it being shorter than normal). I can't wait to read what you all think!!! Also this chapter's title "Rabbit" is the name of a song by Matt Duke, just saw him in concert last night, not only is he adorable, but he's AMAZING live… I bet he'll make it big…check him out!**


	17. More Than Anyone

Chapter Seventeen: More Than Anyone

Author: Duckypantz

Disclaimer: Can't afford Bones or its characters… It's September YAY for Bones starting earlier than other shows!! And I got my BONES fix! No starbucks today… made brownies and the sugar is keeping me up!

Author's Note: Thanks so much for keeping up with the story! I love the reviews and the alerts!!! I do want to say a special thanks to all of you who do not pull punches on their reviews. I do love honesty… even if it makes me cry. KIDDING.

So for clarification on my thought process…some people think that Booth wouldn't have missed Bren not coming around the car, but the stalker orchestrated the situation so well that Booth saw Bren undo her seatbelt, open her door, and get out, but she never came around the car. He was running on an adrenaline high and wasn't focusing 100% of his attention on his partner. He'll beat himself up for that, that's for sure, and maybe it'll bring more feelings to the surface. Just hang in there!

* * *

"Why didn't I put a low jack on her when I had the chance?!" Booth muttered as he was pacing in front of the Botanical Gardens.

He called Charlie at the Hoover building to try and locate Bones' cell phone, since he had checked and it was on her person. He was debating with himself whether or not to call her phone. She would have called by now if she could have and if he called and the phone was on, he could potentially alert the perp to the fact that her phone was on and could be tracked.

Booth's phone rang, "Bones? Oh Charlie, what do you have for me?"

"Her phone was moving up 15th steadily, as if she were in a car. Then it suddenly stopped. Her phone was either discovered and thrown out of the car or…" Charlie didn't continue.

"Or Bones somehow got away. Thanks Charlie." Booth hung up the phone and stared at it. _Why didn't I turn around and watch her get out of the car and cross in front of it to me?_ He smiled._ Because your partner would have said, 'stop being all alpha-male on me'… well not in those exact words, but she would have gotten huffy. Totally worth it because she's so cute when she puffs up. OK, if he's thrown the phone away or she's gotten away, I can call now and check it out._

He pressed speed dial #2 and silently prayed that Bones would pick up.

* * *

Bren crabbed walked from the middle of the street until she bumped into the curb with her hands. She hoisted herself up onto the curb and sat there, trying to catch her breath from the insanity that had been her evening.

She reached into the right front pocket of her jeans silently chanting 'please work' to the cell phone she had in there. When the screen lit up, she smiled.

She dropped the phone when it started vibrating. _No one heard me squeak, so it didn't actually happen._

"Hello?" She asked cautiously. During her tumble out of the car, she had cracked the screen of her blackberry so she couldn't identify who the caller was, and after her last phone call, she was a little wary.

"BONES!" Booth yelled into the phone.

"Booth! You don't have to yell. My hearing wasn't impaired."

"Bones, I'm on my way. I requisitioned a car and will be there in about 5 minutes." He turned on the siren.

"Ok. Good. It's getting chilly."

"Are you hurt?"

She checked herself over. "Not so much. My pride is hurt more than anything else. I let him get me and get to me. Having a gun pointed at me while I am unarmed is really a disconcerting feeling."

He laughed, "That's my Bones."

"Wait, did you say requisitioned? Did you really mean steal? Did you throw another agent out of his car?"

"No! I didn't throw anyone out. I just borrowed the car. I'll give it back. Man, I haven't driven a squad car in a long time." Trying to lighten the mood he added, "Part of me really wants to turn on the loud speaker and yell at other cars to get out of my way. Are you ok in your location?"

"Don't think I can change the location I was unceremoniously dropped at… but no one is bothering me, especially since I got out of the road. People are walking around me giving me wide berth. I must look a sight if they are avoiding me."

Booth's mouth tightened into a hard line as he heard her describe herself as a sight… which probably meant she was much more injured than she claimed.

* * *

Booth returned the squad car to the now angry Capitol policewoman and settled himself into the small rental car Charlie had gotten for him. Charlie had worked over the SUV and found a tracking device, so not wanting to take chances, he personally went to get a rental car and swept it for any bugs or trackers and found none.

It wasn't a big, get out of my way, car that Booth was used to. Instead it was a small, discreet four door sedan. Booth had to fold himself into the car, grousing all the way, which inevitably made his partner crack the first real smile she had given since they started on the rollercoaster of a car ride.

"We were going to stay close to the city, but I decided to go a little out of the way, off script. This guy is a little too smart for my liking. So, I'll let you know when we get there where we are. Just rest."

"I do not like being taken unknown places." She sounded huffy.

He smiled. "You trust me, don't you? I know you do. So just lean that seat back and rest."

Her voice was low and growly, but accepting, "fine." She was quiet for a moment and then broke the silence by saying, "You know I am still not very happy with you for being all alpha-male and literally picking me up. I could walk! I was not nor am I currently an invalid, so please do not treat me like one."

Booth suppressed a small laugh because Bren was acting childish. He knew that she was still mad at him, but he was going to let her be. He deserved her ire. He let her get taken by the stalker's minion. It was only by the grace of God and luck that she wasn't hurt more seriously or taken back to the stalker. _Maybe I should have called backup to help me take care of her, since I've done _such_ a good job protecting her up until now._

"You know what Bones?" Before waiting for her answer, he continued, "Sometimes I give you guy hugs or pick you up because I need to feel that you are safe for my own sanity, not because I think you can't walk or you need the hug."

Bren immediately felt guilty, "Oh… I guess that's ok then. As long as you know…"

"That you are fine and can take care of yourself… yes I know."

"I can take care of myself. But I learned today that I need help with hand-to-hand contact when there is a weapon involved, especially a gun. Can you help me with that?"

_Grappling with Bones, rolling all over the floor and essentially wrestling? That sounds like a GREAT idea. But then a boner would definitely be noticed. And I don't think that's the best time to let her know I'm interested in sex, with her. Dude! Obviously with her! What are you doing? She can't hear you. You want to FUCK Dr. Temperance Brennan. You want to make lurve to her. You want to be her freaking lobster for crying out loud!_

"Booth?"

"Huh? Yeah, lobster? What? Oh, yeah I was just thinking about finding a place to teach you and going over what maneuvers I want you to feel comfortable with being able to do. And I am hungry, for seafood. Good thing we are going to a place where that's fresh!" _Close one. _

"Ok," Bren said, looking at her strange partner.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry for another short chapter, I wanted to get it out this week before I went away on a mini vacation. Next chapter…southern Maryland meets Booth and Brennan. Fluff it up! Can't wait to read what you all thought of the chapter!**


	18. Fools Like Me

Chapter Eighteen: Fools Like Me

Author: Duckypantz

Disclaimer: Can't afford Bones or its characters… but I totally got my BONES fix! Thursdays are back to being my favorite day of the week!! Starbucks…check Ehhh… working on the new chapter? CHECK! Oh… yes I am on my mini vakay and did bring the comp… went on the beach and was running with my dog and my friends' dogs totally knocked me off my feet into the FREEZING water. I'm still hurting. Need to start drinking 

Author's Note: Thanks so much for keeping up with the story! I love the reviews and the alerts!!! I really appreciate the time you all take to read and write your thoughts. Totally make my week!!! And the reviews totally encourage me to write faster. Meant to have this chapter up this weekend, but drinking got in the way, granted, so did reading textsfromlastnight.

* * *

"And we finally arrive to Southern Maryland! Solomon's Island here we come!" Booth said, fakely enthusiastic.

"At least we are finally here." Bren groused. They arrived at the hotel and went upstairs to their room.

"Let me check out your boo boos before we go grab dinner." Booth said as he opened the door to their double room.

"Boo boos? Booth, I am not Parker. I have ouchies."

Booth laughed at how strange the silly words sounded coming out of his partner's mouth. "Humor me ok? I want to check to make sure all your parts are in working order." He coughed and his neck turned red, "Ugh, I mean I want to see if you have any injuries." _Horn dog! Seriously put a lid on it. But if she asks me to blow on an ouchie, I won't be responsible for my actions from that point forward._

"Fine fine." But she was secretly pleased that he was so worried about her. _He cares, and wants make sure I am alright. I know I didn't break anything, but it would help if someone else looked at my back, I can't really see if there are deep scratches from being pushed out of the car, or if they are just going to be bruises. I also wouldn't mind him touching me, especially since, for some reason I am quite sexually aroused. I guess this does occur when one is close to death; that person wants to experience the most life has to offer…_

Booth did another visual pass over his partner's body, even though he had committed all of her parts to memory. There were new bumps and bruises that hadn't been there in previous perusals of her form. He soaked a cotton ball in hydrogen peroxide to softly dab at her elbows, shoulder, knees and forearms, all parts of her body that came into contact with the asphalt when she was thrown from the car.

To get her mind off of his nursing, he asked, "So can you go over what happened again? I know we've already got a BOLO on the towncar with the partial license plate number that you got. But can we go over from when you got into the car until he threw you out of it?"

Bren growled under her breath. They had already gone over this more than once together, and she had told other FBI agents what had happened, why did he want to do this again? "I must have been in shock when our car stopped because I just got into his car when he pointed his gun at me. I didn't even try to run or scream your name. I don't know why I didn't, ok? Then I thought he was the stalker and he was going to take me somewhere, but he never spoke to me. His phone rang, he answered it and handed me the phone. The stalker was on the phone."

While Bren was retelling her ordeal, Booth had rolled up her pants to see if there were any other scrapes on her legs other than banged up knees. He unbuttoned the top of her shirt to see if her back or sides had been injured, but he couldn't see much, so Bren just shook her head at him and unbuttoned the rest of her shirt, letting it fall to her sides.

Unconcerned that she was half naked in front of her partner; Bren continued her story, "It was surreal. I spoke to this man on the phone for a few minutes. He had a medium-high pitched voice for a male and it was rather nasal sounding. He sounded very controlled and deliberate with everything he said, until the end of the conversation when he told me that he had given in to baser instincts because he wanted to speak with me, even though he said it was too soon." She shivered.

"Sorry," Booth said, after blowing dry the peroxide on a particularly deep abrasion on her shoulder. Bren felt the bed dip as he put a knee on it behind her to check her back out. Bren closed her eyes and deeply inhaled when she felt his warm breath on her neck. When she noticed that her nostrils were flared she thought, _that is one of the animalistic traits to show arousal that humans still have today. I am not aroused because it's Booth, I'm aroused because of my near death experience and the adrenaline high that I am on to cover the physical pain. It's not Booth. Anyone would have caused me to have these reactions. Anyone. He's special to me, just not in that way; even though I did have that erotic dream about him. That was another fluke because he was there in bed._

"Then the driver took the phone, slowed the car, and somehow push me out of the vehicle… it happened so fast that I am not sure what happened. I have no idea how the door got open, because I didn't do it. Maybe he pushed a button? I wasn't wearing a seatbelt because I wanted to have the opportunity to jump out of the vehicle when given the chance. And then I was rolling to a stop on 15th Street in Columbia Heights, you know, near the only Target in the city? It's not too far from Angela's old place."

Booth could tell that she was trying to lighten the conversation to make herself feel better about her abduction, so he sat behind her on the bed, straddling her hips and pulled her back against his chest, hugging her around her middle. "I'm so sorry that I didn't stop this from happening, Bones. I should have been there or made you get out of my side of the car. I would completely understand if you want another person to protect you, because I obviously failed."

"Booth!" Bren turned around in his arms until they were face to face. It was a little awkward, but Bren's flexible and could handle the weird contortion because she wanted to see his face when she told him he was stupid and wrong. "You are wrong! Yes you were there and it would have been nice had the whole abduction been prevented, but I was the one who didn't act! I didn't alert you of the situation or even try to get away. I just didn't think. That's never happened. I do trust you more than anyone and I don't want anyone else to protect me, ok?"

Their foreheads were touching and the partners were breathing heavily because of the emotions they were sharing with one another. "I don't think I could have forgiven myself if something worse had happened to you on my watch with me only a few feet away from where you were abducted. Even now with these cuts and bruises, physically and emotionally, even though they aren't life threatening, I don't know if I can forgive myself for not thinking of your safety first."

She pulled his chin up so that they were looking at each other, "Listen. I can take care of myself, despite recent examples proving that statement wrong. Neither of us is at fault for what happened. It's the crazy stalker guy who has, for some reason, fixated on me and killed people to get my attention. We have to get some perspective here so we can catch him and get our lives back to normal!"

Booth looked at her strangely and realized how physically close they had gotten. She was practically in his lap and he still had his arms around her, no longer meeting at her stomach but on her back since she turned around to face him. _Don't read into this Seeley. And DON'T get excited about this. _"That's usually my line about perspective, Bones. I have been rubbing off on you," he smiled. Trying to get the conversation onto safer ground he said, "I'm really hungry, how about we change and grab some food before it's too late. We are in Podunk, places stop serving food after 10pm usually, even on a Friday night. So shake a leg."

"We aren't in Podunk, we are in Solomons Maryland. Why would I want to shake my leg?"

Booth smiled, _I got her back to her normal self, not the self-doubting, scared and emotional Bones… Angela was right, this stalker is starting to make her crack and not act like herself._ "Shake a leg means hurry up," he laughed as he rubbed his grumbling belly.

* * *

They walked from the hotel down the Solomons Island peninsula, towards all the restaurants.

"I hope you are in the mood for seafood," Booth said as he slung a companionable arm around his partner's shoulders.

"Parker told me that joke. Then I said of course I like seafood, and then he opened his mouth with his half masticated hot dog and he said 'see, food' and laughed. I am not going to fall for that again!" Bren replied.

"That's my boy!" Booth laughed. "I was actually talking about real seafood, as in flounder, crab, clams. All that good stuff."

"Oh, ok, well I do like seafood and it's great source of protein and vitamins. While I am a vegetarian, I allow myself to eat seafood, occasionally."

"Great! Well I am going to take you to this place called Stoneys. It's one of the best places to get crab cakes ever! You have to try them. And the drinks are great… very strong. But after the day we've had, I'm thinking a stiff drink will be just what the doctor ordered."

"I haven't ordered a drink yet. I don't understand."

"It's a joke, kinda like the doctor prescribed a strong drink for us, after the ordeal we've had." He shook his head, "I'm not explaining this right. Maybe after a few drinks I'll try to and maybe you'll understand better."

* * *

Booth convinced his partner to try the cheese fries and crab cakes, both of which were a major hit with the anthropologist, of course after one strong vodka tonic. After a few more drinks she was in a great mood and Booth was trying hard not to get as happy as his partner was. Someone had to keep a clear head.

"Seriously Bones, it was me last night and you tonight. People might begin to think that we need to be wasted in order to hang out with each other."

"That's just silly. And I am not wasted. I'm just drinking my woes away. I've only had 3 drinks."

"And almost no food in your stomach all day. You are what one would call a cheap date."

"As long as they don't call me an easy date, I'm ok with that… unless I want to be easy. Then they can call me sexually liberated instead of easy."

Booth was taking a sip of his beer when Bren was speaking and choked while trying to swallow the brew. "Uh, Bones, I think we should probably pay the tab and head back."

"Nope. I am having fun. I haven't had fun since this case started."

Booth sobered, thinking about all the stress that this case has caused his partner, "Bones, I'm sorry about this whole situation."

"Is it your fault I'm being stalked? Are you in fact stalking me?"

"No!"

"Then it's not your fault!"

"Bones, you are yelling at me."

"Sorry," she said in a quieter voice. "I just wanted to get the point across that it's not always your fault. You don't have to carry the burden of the world on your shoulders all the time, ok?"

"I know, I know. And I am working on that. It's hard to break a lifetime of catholic guilt you know."

"No, I don't know. But I will take your word for it."

Booth smiled. "Let's get you back to the hotel."

"That's a good idea. I am starting to get drunk. And I want a clear head." She said as she closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder as they started their walk back to the hotel.

"Why?" _Being a little tipsy might make her sleep easier._

In a sleepy voice she said, "It'll make it easier for me to seduce you."

* * *

**Author's Note: Did Bones REALLY just say that? Seriously? Seduce Booth? What will Booth say? What will they do? You are all more than welcome to offer up some ideas about what will happen once they get to the hotel. Can't wait to read what you think of this chapter!!!**


	19. Ballroom Dancer

Chapter Nineteen: Ballroom Dancer

Author: Duckypantz

Disclaimer: Can't afford Bones or its characters… but I totally got my BONES fix! Thursdays are back to being my favorite day of the week!! Starbucks… one of my bosses gave me a Starbucks card as thanks for doing my work and a lot of other people's!!! Yay for recognition in STARBUCKS! She knows me so well!

Author's Note: **SORRY for the huge delay! RL has taken over in the form of a much needed real vacation and then my boss decides to move to a different group so I'm learning her job while doing mine… crazyness. **Thanks so much for keeping up with the story! I love the reviews and the alerts!!! I really appreciate the time you all take to read and write your thoughts. If I can, I am going to try to get out two chapters this week for you all… that being said, they might be shorter than any of us want…

* * *

"You want to seduce me?" Booth asked, stuttering on the word 'seduce'. They had walked in silence from the restaurant to their hotel before he dared open his mouth.

"Yes," Bren said as she closed in on him, blocking Booth between her body and the side wall of their hotel. The walk had neither sobered her up nor cooled her ardor. "Think of this as an experiment. We need release. This case is extremely stressful and we both need to let our hair down. I think I will behave more within my nature if I've given into my baser urges. Also, I had a great dream about you last night. I want to see if reality can compete or supersede the fantasy."

Booth swallowed the huge lump in his throat. Bren had just thrown a lot of important information at him, and was also distracting him with her body intimately pressed up against his. Not only did Bren just want to let off some steam with him, she also had had a fantasy about him last night when they shared her bed. _Last night seems like a century ago. Honestly feels like we've gone a week since I woke up with her in my arms. How this case has changed so much since then. The damn bad guy has proved to me that he's in control and can take her at any moment._ Booth closed his eyes as his nostrils flared at the intoxicating smell of his partner. _Seize the moment, Seel. She's more than willing and you've been waiting years for this. _

But he heard his conscience through his little head talking, _but isn't she worth more than just one night of release?_ As if he had multiple personalities, his little head or part of himself that focuses more on feeling good than just the consequences, responded, _she IS more than just a onetime deal but…_

While Booth was busy thinking, Bren had successfully trapped her partner against the wall of the hotel. She was staring at his lips as if they were hypnotizing her, "I've never kissed you just because. Caroline wanted us to kiss and I will admit I had always been curious, but now I want to kiss you because I can."

Booth was not paying attention to his partner, but the devil and angel on each of his shoulders so he missed her take a hitched breath in before she got up on her tip toes and softly pressed her lips to his. Booth was immediately shocked out of his revere by the rather intimate contact between himself and his partner. He tried to back up out of reflex but realized that he was backed up against a wall. All of these thoughts rushed through his head in a split second before he realized that he was in fact kissing the object of his desire for the past however many number of years, he better be an active participant before she got the wrong idea.

Booth wasn't a man to go half way or half-assed in the things he did. He was an all or nothing kind of guy. He swept a hand through her hair to rest on the nape of Bren's neck and he bent down a little bit so she didn't have to stand on tip toes anymore. That was a lie; he wasn't being chivalrous in his reasoning for bending down. He could care less about her being on tip toes at this particular moment, he just wanted more and better contact with his partner.

Bren was quite pleased that her partner had intensified their contact and made a very satisfied noise in the back of her throat, a mix between a purr and sigh, to let him know.

Booth had never really liked vocal lovers because he felt the catholic guilt of having sex outside the confines of marriage. Coupled with the potential for his son to walk into his room when he was with a lover, Booth tended towards the quieter bed partners. He had always known that Bren would be very vocal and maybe even talkative when he got into bed. He fueled a lot of fantasies on his idea that she would be loud. He was not disappointed; and they weren't even past first base yet!

Booth wanted to get closer to her, envelope her inside of him, but instead chose to switch their positions so that she would be up against the wall. When he suddenly flipped her around and pressed fully up against her so that her entire back was against the wall, she made a startled sound which melted into a deeper moan.

Bren was grasping at his shoulders, trying to bring him closer and to just be able to openly touch and admire him. She got a great idea to bring one of her legs up to wrap around his waist so he would get the idea to help lift her up, and Booth was following her lead without hesitation. Bren was literally between a rock and a hard place, and it was the best place she had been in a long time. All the important body parts were almost intimately getting to know one another.

Booth was seriously debating about whether or not they could make it to the hotel room or if they should just try out the tiny backseat of their rental when they heard a little voice behind them ask,  
"Daddy, is that man trying to give that woman a front piggy back ride?"

The man with his wife and kids laughed nervously, coughed and said, "You know what? You might be right. Come on let's run to the car so we can grab dinner before all of the restaurants close." He leaned in towards Booth and Bren, saying, "Seriously, it's a hotel parking lot. My kids are too young to see this stuff…"

Once they heard the child's voice so close behind them, Booth and Bren stopped kissing and were trying to catch their breaths. Booth was embarrassed to be caught by a little kid and had his head on Bren's shoulder, while Bren was trying to get her vision back in focus after that eye-crossing kiss. So she had been trying to look at the kid and his family, but couldn't quite focus her gaze.

Booth had no idea what to say to break the silence, their moment had officially ended, but here they were, pressed up against the side of the hotel with Bren's legs wrapped around Booths' waist. "Hey Bones," was the lame thing Booth came up with to say.

He had lifted his head from her shoulder to look at her and he smiled. "Hey Booth," she responded. And then they both broke out into almost hysterical giggles at the situation they were in.

"I have the worst luck!" Booth said between laughs. "Seriously, who but me gets caught by a kid?"

"Well, you do have one of your own so the likelihood of you getting caught by a kid is significantly higher than say me, a person who doesn't have a child." She was trying to sound normal and scientifically authoritative but she dissolved into giggles that ended with a snort, so her authority was shot to hell.

"I can't believe you just snorted!" He laughed. "I didn't realize how cold it had gotten out here. I guess we better go inside." He turned to go and realized that he was still holding Bren koala style against his chest. "I guess I should let you walk on your own," he smiled sheepishly. As he placed her on the ground, he immediately missed the warm heat of her on him.

Even though he was no longer holding her, he could still feel her glorious behind cupped in them. He hadn't realized how much of an ass man he was until he had hers in his hands. A nice pair of breasts could no longer compete with the soft and muscular feel of his partner's butt, at least until he could get his hands on her breasts. _Maybe I should just admit everything on Bones looks and feels better than anything on another woman._

They walked side-by-side into the elevator, caught in their own thoughts and so comfortable with one another, even though their relationship had taken a big turn tonight, that they didn't feel the need to fill the silence.

Bren was building up the courage to ask her partner to continue what they had started in the parking lot. She had never felt so nervous about starting a sexual relationship before. She'd never needed to build up any courage. _He means more to me than any of the men I have had relationships with in the past. I've never slept with someone I've been friends with first. That must be why I'm so nervous._

Meanwhile Booth was confused. He wanted to continue their explosive kiss, but he also wanted to wait until the case was over so that he knew that he could devote all of his time to her pleasure instead of dividing his attention between her safety and pleasure. But the devil on his shoulder was much more persuasive than the angel.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened to their floor. Bren turned towards her partner, took a breath and asked, "So, want to continue what we started outside?" She held out her hand to Booth and waited for him to take it. Instead of putting her hand in his, he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it. Then he tucked her small hand into his much larger one, interlacing their fingers as they walked to their suite.

At the door to their suite they found a manila envelope that hadn't been there when they left hours before.

* * *

**Author's Note: Oooooh lord! I need a fan after that! The way a guy kisses can really tell you something about him and with Booth, man I need a cigarette imagining how good it would be! Thanks so much for keeping up with this and putting up with me, my rantings and my long absence. You ROCK! Please let me know what you think. I rarely do any sort of physical stuff in stories, so I would really appreciate to know what you all thought. Thanks!**


	20. Straight to Hell

Chapter Twenty: Straight to Hell

Author: Duckypantz

Disclaimer: Can't afford Bones or its characters… but I totally got my BONES fix! Thursdays are back to being my favorite day of the week!! Starbucks… had to buy my own AND be a gofer for my pseudo boss and get hers, not niiiice.

**I officially SUCK at life for the HUGE delay. I don't know what to do to apologize enough! Maybe more updates ****?**

Author's Note: **SORRY for another delay!!! **I am in the process of kind of getting a promotion, but it won't be official until later in the month, but I still get the new work load and just got a new employee this week… it's all crazy, but I've been training to take over for my lead/boss person over the holidays so writing hasn't been top priority… that will change!! And I've started training for a half-marathon. Since I'm not a runner at all (elliptical is my choice of pain) it's arduous but going to be worth it when I can run 13.1 miles without stopping (much).

Thanks for ALL of you who are keeping up with this story. I LOVE the emails that tell me I've got reviews! I like the ones that say people are setting alerts for the story too… thanks so much! You all rock! And I LOVE LOVE reading your options and questions… I hope my PMs answer your reviews without giving too much away.

* * *

"Crap!" Angela growled as she looked at her monitor to see the name of the second victim pop up on NCIC. "This guy is one sick bastard. First he kills a guy with a name like Bren's dad's and now he's killed a woman… I just don't even want to put it into words how disturbing that is."

Cam came rushing into Angela's office, "Please tell me you have something on our victim? I just heard from Cullen that Booth and Dr. Brennan were in an accident and are now off the grid somewhere overnight."

"Did either of them get hurt?" Angela asked as she brushed past her boss to rifle through her huge purse to look for her cell phone. If there had been a major and tragic accident, and Bren could have contacted Angela, she would have, but there was no text or missed call.

"Booth was a little shaken up and Dr. Brennan has some bumps and bruises. They are ok and hiding somewhere for the night. Booths' taken her away, not even Cullen knows where they are. They'll be back in the morning and hopefully we'll have at least a little more information for Booth to solve this case than we did before they left last night."

"Actually I did. Our reconstruction of the skull of the second victim rendered a name from NCIC. It's Joy Ruth. She was in her late twenties and this was going to be her second child, a girl. Her first child was a boy." Angela bit back a sob. "This is getting to be too much. I don't know how much more Bren or even I can take. It's too close to home. This woman had Bren's and her mom's names and the same family make-up. It was like he was killing her and her mom together."

"Angela!" Cam grabbed the artist's shoulders and gave her a little shake. It was better than smacking her to get her out of the funk. And more HR appropriate. "You can't help Dr. Brennan by falling apart! We have to get our work done well and quickly so we can catch this guy."

Ange sniffed, cleared her throat and wiped her eyes. No more crying for her. She had to help protect her friend and falling apart was not helping. She squared her shoulders, knocking Cam's hands off of them. "I have my game face on. This sick fuck is not going to mess with my head anymore." She looked at Cam, "Sorry for the cursing. It makes me feel hardcore."

Cam laughed, "No problem. I would rather you curse than fall apart."

"Cam?! Dr. Saroyan?" Hodgins hollered from his station on the platform.

"In Angela's office!" Cam responded.

Hodgins came rushing in to the artist's office. He stopped and gave Angela a sweet smile before he got down to business. Cam had just enough time to do an eye roll before Hodgins shared his findings. _I can't believe I missed rolling my eyes at these two. I guess it's time to start worrying about which antiquities they could take their lunch breaks on…_

"I don't want to sound too optimistic but KING OF THE LAB!" which of course brought Zach running in.

"Why?" Angela and Zach asked at the same time.

"I've found some particles on both bodies that come from a specific geographic location." While he was talking, Angela pulled up a map of the DC metro area.

"Where?"

"I've narrowed it down to the Navy Yard area and Anacostia. The particles I found on both bodies, which let me tell you, was difficult to separate from the…"

"Yes, poor baby, it was difficult. All of our jobs are difficult. He's attacking Dr. Brennan!" Zach exploded.

"Sorry, man. No pity parties here. Anyway, the site of the murder should be near the Anacostia River but in an area of new construction. I won't bore you with the details; I'll save that for the trial, when we get this guy!"

* * *

Booth immediately pushed Brennan behind him, protecting her from a potential attack. If someone could find them and drop off a package with Bren's name on it, that person could be waiting in their room or around the corner. Bren reached into her purse and grabbed latex gloves and handed them to Booth; neither wanted to compromise potential evidence.

Booth picked up the package gingerly. It wasn't heavy enough to have more than a few sheets of paper inside, but he wouldn't take any chances with Bren's safety. He carried the envelope at arm's length as the duo walked down the stairs to the lobby. From there, they would have security check out their room for any other surprises and would open the envelope in the lobby.

"I think we should head back to the lab and open the envelope in a secure room. Who knows if he laced the paper with some form of a biological weapon?"

"First of all, we don't know it's from him. Second, he hasn't tried to hurt you yet. He had you today and only wanted to talk with you. I do not think he's escalated to the point in his obsession with you to posses you. He still is in the stage of trying to impress you. "

Brennan mulled over Booth's observation. He was much better at profiling than she was… and she was irrationally paranoid because this guy had somehow gotten past all of the safeguards and gotten to them again! She was more worried about Booth than herself, not that she would ever tell him that, and she was also playing a losing game with her fear. She was so close to giving in. She was holding on by a thread and was afraid of the outcome if she completely let go. She did maul Booth outside of the hotel, but it had become mutual so that was a part of her that was definitely glad that she let her guard down.

"Booth, I need to take control of this situation, of any situation. I need to put this envelope in a biohazard container and take it back to the Jeffersonian. Please, I need you to let me do this my way."

Booth's expression softened. "I would never want to put you in any kind of danger. I am just worried that whatever is in this envelope could be time sensitive and maybe give us a clue to the next person he is going to kill. We could potentially save someone."

"Remember Eps? An d Cam? We have to follow protocol. Even when we rushed, we didn't save anyone and we have to learn from our mistakes. Protocol. Control. We need to not let him be in the pilot's chair."

Booth smiled, "Driver's seat." Bren smiled sheepishly; Booth sharpened his gaze at her. "Wait, you knew that wasn't the correct expression. You said that just to make me feel better. Ok, let's put the envelope in a sealed evidence bag and hightail it back to the Jeffersonian."

* * *

They were driving down Route 4 towards Suitland Parkway when a cell phone started ringing. Booth checked the one in his pocket and it wasn't the one ringing. Bren had given her phone to the FBI techs to see if there was a bug on it, so she didn't have a cell phone. They shared a scared look and looked frantically around the car for the phone. Bren found it under her seat and looked to see if it was attached to anything, like a bomb. Since it was just a lone cell phone, she grabbed it, looked at the screen and pressed talk.

"Hello?"

"You don't think I would have left you alone after yesterday, do you?"

* * *

**Author's Note: I know it's short but I wanted to just get this out there so I can get back on track. I promise there will be more frequent updates. I guess I'll just have to get on the computer when I get home from work (and that's saying a lot from a person who spends the entire workday on the computer)… but I'll do it for you all! Please let me know what you think of the chapter and where you think it's going.**


	21. No Sooner Surrender

Chapter Twenty-One: No Sooner Surrender

Author: Duckypantz

Disclaimer: Can't afford Bones or its characters… but I totally got my BONES fix! Thursdays are back to being my favorite day of the week!! Starbucks… one of my bosses bought me a HUGE starbucks card… just finished it. Lots of money… awesomeness! Lots of coffee with the card!

Author's Note: Did the half marathon. Almost died. Not really but it was too hardcore for my not-really-training-regime. Also I did get the promotion and have my very own employee!!! Slow day at work so I am trying to pound out this chapter before I get more work!

Thanks for ALL of you who are keeping up with this story. I LOVE the emails that tell me I've got reviews! I like the ones that say people are setting alerts for the story too… thanks so much! You all rock! And I LOVE LOVE reading your opinions and questions; I hope you all don't mind it takes me until I write the next chapter before I PM you for your reviews.

* * *

Bren almost dropped the phone in surprise, but put it on speaker so Booth could hear the conversation.

"Pardon?" Bren interrupted him.

"Dr. Brennan! I said, you don't think I would have left you alone without any backup or any mode of communication, do you?" Cullen roared through the phone.

Bren let out a huge sigh of relief. She had honestly thought that the caller had been her stalker, aka the serial killer, but it was Booth's boss.

"Sir, we've been stalked by this crazy guy, I wanted to go off the grid. Why would you have someone hide a phone underneath the passenger seat? We aren't the CIA." Booth gritted out through his teeth.

Cullen barked out a short laugh, as if Booth's CIA comment caught him by surprise. "I couldn't let you be completely without a safety net. Don't worry; I've been monitoring your location and everything off line. No one else but me knows where you all are."

"Unfortunately, that's not true, sir. Between checking in to our room at the hotel and eating dinner, someone, we think it's the killer, left a package in front of our room. We had the room checked by hotel security, but didn't stay there. We're on our way to the Jeffersonian to open the package."

"That's a smart idea. I assume it was Dr. Brennan's," at which Booth scoffed and Cullen responded with a chuckle. "For a former sniper, Booth you are too impatient."

Bren cut in before Booth said something he was going to regret to his boss, "Actually Booth is quiet patient when it comes to almost all of our cases. The reason he is being impatient with this one is because it's personal and the bad guy is attacking Booth's partner and friends."

"True, Dr. Brennan, but this is the time when one should use patience more than any other time. The perp is counting on you being emotional and potentially making mistakes, when it should be the other way around. He is getting bolder and we should be playing the waiting game to see if he makes a big mistake that will lead us to him and end this."

Booth pounded on the steering wheel in obvious frustration. Cullen could hear it through the phone. "He _will_ make a mistake, and he'll do it soon."

* * *

"You really are getting to her aren't you?" he asked. "She is about to crack. Even though you really should be punished for altering the plan, it really escalated this case… but you really do need to get punished for deviating from the plan. You could have gotten sloppy or said something that triggered in the good doctor, where she knows you from. You didn't, but you still need to learn the rules."

He stopped talking and bent down to pick up a cat 'o' nines. He tested the weight of the braided leather handle of the whip in his hand before he reached out and punished with it. 5 quick lashes for disobedience, not too deep, but not too soft either; and the screams echoed through the warehouse.

"You will not disobey me again! I have a plan and I expect you to follow it. Now clean yourself up and put some salve on your back, it'll help heal the wounds you inflicted upon yourself!"

"To put her really over the edge you should attack her protector, that arrogant, dumb Agent Booth. He doesn't need to live does he? Clearly someone so insignificant and stupid is not worthy of the presence of Dr. Brennan. He will be fun to torture and kill, no?" The response he got was all the answer he needed, a malevolent laugh.

* * *

Angela was looking for a place for lunch. Not the normal, eating at noon kind of lunch, the sweaty, we want to relish in the fact that we are still alive even though a killer is after my best friend kind of lunch with Hodgins. They were trying to take this serious stuff slowly, but they had always had an amazing chemistry sexually. No way would anyone box them off and say in the bedroom. These two would go at it anywhere they could get a little bit of privacy and leverage.

Even though Angela knew she shouldn't be snooping in Bren's office for a good place to rendezvous with a certain bug guy, she just wanted to check. _Bren wouldn't mind if I used her bathroom, it's huge and super private. We'd be quick and quiet, all without disturbing anymore artifacts. _

Angela was carrying a folder in the guise of dropping it off for Bren later, but she was checking out the layout of her friend's office. Could people see the bathroom from the door? Were there better places in the office to do the deed? _I really should be focusing on this case, but gosh do I need a good ten minute break to jump start my drive to find this bastard terrorizing my best friend…_

And then she spotted something out of the ordinary. There was something on the door frame; a little blip that should be there. Angela stopped looking at the spot and quickly turned off the lights in Bren's office. _I am turning into a conspiracy nut like Jack. I see something abnormal and assume it's a bug or a camera. _

She ran her finger lightly over the anomaly in the door frame and was completely puzzled by what she was feeling. She quietly pulled a chair up to the door frame so she could get a better look at the thing that caught her attention, shutting the door so that no light or sound would be picked up by this thing Angela was convincing herself was a camera. Even an up close look at the thing and she had no idea what it was so she peeled it from the door frame and wrapped it in her shirt.

Angela motioned for Jack to come into her office where she turned off the lights and put her index finger to her mouth to indicate that Jack should be quiet. He was getting excited thinking that their rendezvous would be in Angela's office when she unrolled the sleeve of her shirt and showed him what she'd picked off of Bren's office's door frame, using the glow of the monitor as a light.

Hodgins' eyes grew big as he mentally processed what was in front of him. This was the smallest camera he had ever seen! _Wait where did she get this from? Was the Jeffersonian wasting money on monitoring every room with expensive equipment like this? Man, that means no lunch breaks that are worth anything!_

Angela walked over to her whiteboard and wrote '_I found this thing on the doorframe of Bren's office'_. Hodgins responded by grabbing some duct tape off of the water bottle Angela always had on her desk and covered what he assumed was the lense with the tape so that they could turn on the light and look at the back of the camera for any identifiable serial numbers.

Hodgins took the camera and put it under his microscope to see if he could glean any information off the tiny little bug, but didn't see anything. While he was doing that, Angela was in her office trying to see if there were any picture or video packets being sent the Medico-Legal Lab via the wireless internet that wasn't explained by a computer, meaning, in super small packets of information instead of the mammoth packets sent from computer to computer.

Angela checked Dr. Brennan's computer's connection. She knew that the computer shouldn't be sending out any packets, but noticed that it was, but packets that were tiny, definitely not noticeable to anyone who wasn't looking for something of that size. Angela also noticed where the packets were going, they were being sent to a phone number. She ran the number and noticed that the number was registered to Mr. Christian, the Jeffersonian's head of security.

* * *

**Author's Note: 1 chapter a week? How do you all like that idea? I am really trying here, and really want to finish this story. It's my goal… and I will do it, especially with your encouragement. I love the reviews; they really push me to write. LOVE YOU ALL!!!! I also like that others of you have alerts on me and the story and that's great too. Can't WAIT to read what you all think of this chapter!**


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